A Life Not So Charming
by Inked4Life
Summary: Sons of Anarchy; SAMCRO and OC's; Love, Drama, Violence and Revenge...another day in Charming, CA.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note:

_**A/N: I am totally hooked on Sons of Anarchy even though it's just started. This will naturally follow the story line of the series but I may do a little changing of things.**_

Naturally the car would pick that exact moment to decide to start smoking. Like a fucking movie it was way to cliché for her taste. She banged on the steering wheel and managed to pull the car over into the parking lot.

Melanie sat there for a few minutes listening to the Kid Rock song playing on the radio before she cut the engine off, grabbed her purse and got out of the smoking piece of shit her father had bought for her several years ago as a college graduation gift.

An air gun was being used in the dimly lit garage and she could make out the shapes of people walking around but not able to determine who they were because of the bright sunlight outside. Hopefully he wasn't there. With any luck he wasn't there.

"Having some car problems, Mel?" No, no luck at all. She turned around and gave him a nasty look.

"What clued you in on that one, Jax? The smoke or the fact that I'm here?" She asked sarcastically. He grinned. God he had annoyingly cute grin that she just wanted to smack off his face.

"Damn Mel, college certainly did you good." He said. He knew that references to her looks irritated her and he used that weapon as often as he could.

"Prison seems to have done just the opposite for you. Or maybe your wife has something to do with that? Wait, I'm sorry, ex-wife." Ouch, that was catty. The look on Jax's face went from playful to dark in a split second and Melanie took a hesitate step backward.

"Fuck you Mel. That shit was low, even for you." He said before he stalked off into the shop and left Melanie standing there mentally kicking herself for being a complete bitch.

She knew that Wendy was a bad person had seen first had Wendy's addiction and when she had heard Wendy was pregnant and still using she felt nothing but heart felt sorrow for him.

She heard the rumble of a Harley and looked up to see Jax ride off at a fast pace. She watched him till he rounded the corner and then shook her head. What was in the past needed to stay there. There was no point of stirring up old feelings and memories. They did nothing but make one sadder.

"Hey Melanie, whatcha' need babe?" Melanie looked up and smiled at Billy. He was a complete goof but she thought he was a sweetheart.

"I need my car fixed. Please?" She said turning on the charm and smiling widely. He blushed slightly and nodded his head walking to her car.

"I don't know why she even bothered coming back here. I mean I've always loved Mel but she was foolish to come back to this life she's living." Gemma said sitting down next to Jax and lighting a cigarette. He was slouched in the chair flicking a lighter repeatedly. It was one of his tell-tale positions when something was bothering him and Gemma knew that something was Melanie Michaels.

Gemma had been sure it was Melanie that Jax would walk down the aisle with but when he had foolishly slept with Wendy while still dating Melanie that dream sizzled up like burnt paper. One drunken night had ruined a six year relationship and to make matters worse the junkie whore that he was now divorced from was shooting Meth while she was pregnant with her first grandbaby.

"Have you talked to Wendy lately?" Jax asked tossing the lighter onto the table and taking the cigarette from between his mother's fingers. She rolled her eyes.

"No I haven't. Haven't you talked to her?" She asked. When he shook his head she sighed and got up from the table.

"Well I guess you want me to stop by there and see what she's up to, right?" She asked. Jax smiled and winked.

"Thanks Mom." He stood up, kissed her on the cheek and then left the house. He couldn't stand to be around Wendy and he didn't want to see her in the condition she was in. Pregnant and strung out were not something one wants to see every day.

"Fuck that. Those Sam Crow bitches think they can run shit? Well they ain't seen nothing yet. They can't run us out. Soon we'll be bigger than them." The one man said to other man occupying the cab of the pick up truck. They were watching the house and the person leaving it. A cocky young asshole who thought he and his crew were running shit in Charming. Little did they know the Mayans were ready for a take-over.

"Not to much longer and that _ojete _and his_asqueroso _crew are _muerto."_


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Since the show is so new and there's only been one episode to date I do have to add in a few OC's and make up some things just because I haven't been introduced to them all yet

_**A/N: Since the show is so new and there's only been one episode to date I do have to add in a few OC's and make up some things just because I haven't been introduced to them all yet. Thanks for reading!**_

800 and three days later Melanie had her car back and in running condition. It wasn't in perfect condition but it was able to get her from point a to point b and that's all that mattered right now.

She had heard through the grapevine (that being Phyllis down at the store) that Wendy had been admitted to the Hospital and that the baby had to be delivered 10 weeks prematurely. She had called up Tara to confirm this and when Tara had explained the critical situation that he was in she felt tears rolling down her eyes. The "family flaw" had struck again. It had taken Tommy's life and nearly taken Gemma's life long ago.

Melanie could only imagine what Jax was feeling and so with out any thought of what she was doing she found herself at the hospital walking towards the Pediatric ICU.

"Hey Mel." Melanie looked around and saw Tara walking up behind her. She smiled and gave her friend a hug.

"How's he doing?" Melanie asked. Tara's eyes saddened.

"Well we've completed surgery on both his stomach and his heart so right now it's a waiting game. Hopefully that little guy is a fighter. The bad thing is that he also going to be detoxing thanks to the wonderful prenatal care Wendy was providing him." The bitter tone in Tara was not a surprise, she knew what kind of person Wendy was and had never liked her.

"Any of the family here?" Melanie asked. Tara nodded.

"Clay and Gemma are here. They are in the waiting room just around the corner. Come on, I'll take you there." Melanie nodded her head and walked beside her to the waiting room. The door was closed but a window cut into it allowed Melanie to see Clay and Gemma talking quietly to each other, hands clasped together. It was sweet. Melanie had always though that Clay and Gemma had a wonderful relationship and aspired to have something like that. She thought she did at one point but Jax fucked that all up.

She knocked on the door before opening it and walking in. Clay stood with a smile on his face and hugged Melanie. Gemma waited her turn.

"Hey there, sweetheart. How're you doing?" Clay said. Melanie hugged Gemma before speaking.

"I'm doing great. How are you two doing? How's the baby?" Melanie asked. They smiled sadly.

"Abel's doing good now, so all we can do is pray for him." Gemma answered. "Jax was just here. He saw Abel. I think it's hard for him knowing how this could possibly turn out. Losing Tommy was…hard." Gemma said. Melanie nodded.

"What about her? What can you do? Are there charges you can press?" Melanie asked. She didn't bother masking the hatred in her voice. They knew how she felt and they felt the same way.

"We'll take care of her. She will never know Abel no matter what it takes. That bitch can rot in jail for all I care." Gemma said. Melanie raised an eyebrow and smirked. The visual she got was almost enough to make her feel better. Almost.

"You should come by the Clubhouse some time Mel. We still have a pool game to play. If I remember correctly it was double or nothing." Clay said. Melanie laughed. It had been almost 2 years since she had been to the Clubhouse and beat Clay playing pool. They had plans on a rematch when things exploded between her and Jax.

"Shit old man. You sure you can handle it anymore?" Melanie asked. Clay laughed and winked at her.

"Honey I can handle anything you got." Gemma rolled her eyes.

"And pay the price the next day." They laughed and sat for a few minutes longer talking about whatever seemed to come up. It was good for Melanie, made her feel alive again. She couldn't remember the last time she felt comfortable and happy. Wouldn't it just figure that being around Sam Cow's founder and wife would make her feel that way.

"Mom please you don't need to be walking around now. Go lay down and I will get you what you need." Melanie said after helping her mother get back to her feet. She'd fallen into the desk scattering papers and knick knacks everywhere.

"Shut up. You are always telling me what to do and I'm getting sick and fucking tired of it. You are worthless. I don't even know why you came back here. I was doing just fine on my own." Rachel Michaels slurred, leaning heavily on Melanie. She redirected her to the bed and helped her lift her legs. She fell back into her pillows and promptly passed out. Melanie wiped a tear from her cheek and grabbed the empty bottle of Wild Turkey from the night stand.

She didn't know why she came back either but she had. Maybe it was because she felt she needed to take care of the woman even though she didn't deserve it. Rachel Michaels had fallen into a world of alcohol and drugs ten years earlier when Melanie's father had been killed in a car accident. Melanie wasn't sure that her mother had been sober since then.

She cleaned up the room as best she could with as little noise as possible and then made her way back to the living room where she'd left her book. She'd just gotten comfortable on the couch when there was a knock at the door. She frowned. Visitors to the Michaels house were few and far between. She just knew it was some asshole trying to sell something so she was surprised when she found Jax standing on the front stoop. So surprised in fact, that she stood there for several moments before moving to the side and letting him.

"Hey." Jax said coming to stop in the living room. Melanie looked around to make sure the place didn't look like a mess. Fortunately it was pretty clean. She just felt underdressed in the shorts and tank top she was currently wearing.

"Uh…what's up?" She asked standing on the other side of the room, not wanting to be too close to him. She was still pissed with him but that didn't mean she'd ever stopped loving him.

"Mom and Clay told me that you stopped by the Hospital." He looked down at his hands and seemed to be lost on what he was supposed to be doing.

"Yeah, I heard about Abel and just wanted to make sure that everything was okay." Melanie said.

"Why? Why do you care about him?" Jax asked. Melanie was surprised. She wasn't sure why she would care about the child of her ex and his ex-wife but she had been. Maybe it was concern for the family that she had for so long wanted to be apart of.

"I don't know. I know how hard something like this has got to be even if…well I just wanted to make sure your family was holding up okay. I'm not a complete bitch." She said.

"Well thanks for doing that." He said. Melanie shrugged. "So…how are you doing? You've been back in town for what a week or so and I've seen you once. How's your mom?" Jax asked. Melanie frowned.

"She's fine." She answered. She didn't want to get into details with Jax even though he knew the situation.

"Listen, get dressed and come over to the Clubhouse. Get out of the house." Jax said. Melanie snorted.

"Why?" She asked. Jax smiled.

"We can catch up and you can try to let Clay beat you at a game of pool. Come on…" Jax said. "I miss hanging with you Mel." He threw out there quietly. Melanie's eyes darted to his and she could she that he was being truthful.

"I don't know…" She started and Jax jumped in trying to persuade her.

"Get changed and let's go. I got your helmet." With that he strolled outside and the discussion was over. Melanie watched him walk out of the door, pissed that he just demanded her presence and assumed that she would jump at his words. Some damn nerve! She fumed for several minutes before she stalked off to her room and changed. Damn him.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Since the show is so new and there's only been one episode to date I do have to add in a few OC's and make up some things just because I haven't been introduced to them all yet

"So you understand what your part of this is, right?" The man with a shaved head asked before pulling the hood of his black sweater over it. The other, the leader of the Mayans was nodding his head.

"Yeah I understand. You just make sure you and your boys follow through. Those fucking Sam Crow bitches won't know what hit them." He said. He angrily inhaled on a blunt and then blew a billow of smoke into the air in front of the warehouse they used as a base of operations.

"Darby will get in touch with you when the shit's about to go down." The man said and with that he turned and left.

Marcus Alvarez wasn't a stupid man. He knew that trusting the Nords was a gamble but he also knew the bad blood that the Nords had for SAMCRO, the Mayans had as well. Even if they were skin heads he knew he could at least trust the Nords wouldn't fuck him over on this.

"Well I'll be damned, Mel. You haven't lost your skill that's for sure." Clay said as he threw the cue stick on top of the table. Melanie laughed and placed hers in the holder on the wall.

"Of course I haven't. It's a God given natural talent, old man. You should be privileged

I let you play with me." She replied with a cocky smile. She wiped her hands on the legs of her torn jeans and walked over to the bar to order a drink. Water – straight up.

Clay took a moment to look at Melanie. He had always had a soft spot for the pretty girl. She had sun kissed skin and impossibly black hair that didn't come from a bottle. That and her impossibly green eyes made her stand out in a crowd. He and Gemma had both thought Melanie and Jax would marry. They had been dating for so long and it just seemed the next step but when he step son had fucked up on night after drinking too much, that was all thrown away. Maybe things could get fixed, she had come with Jax tonight after all. The love was obviously there.

"How's your mom doing, darlin'?" Clay asked sitting on a bar stool next to her and ordering a Corona. She looked down at the glass of water and twirled it a little.

"She's…doing. Things haven't really changed. She has a good moment here or there but she's just so far into that it's going to take more than me helping her to get her straightened out. I thought of doing some intervention but that wouldn't work. The only thing I can hope for is her rock bottom will happen and happen soon before she kills herself." Melanie answered. She'd looked to Clay as a surrogate father after hers had died and she knew that he didn't judge her because of her mother. He knew that he genuinely cared.

He raised his arm and rested his hand on her shoulder. He gave it a gentle squeeze and she looked at him and smiled.

"You let me know if you need anything, you understand?" He said. Melanie shook her head and took a sip of her water.

"Thanks Clay. I appreciate it." Clay grabbed his beer and stood up heading over to a table where Tig and Chibs were sitting. Important club business had to be handled.

Jax took that opportunity to sit in the seat Clay had just vacated. He pushed his empty bottle to the back of the bar and ordered another.

"So are you ever going to let him win a game?" He asked. Melanie laughed.

"No. Why should I?" She asked. They sat there in silence for a few moments. Jax was checking Melanie out. Melanie was trying to ignore that Jax was checking her out. She began to feel uncomfortable. Only he could make her feel like she wearing nothing even if she was wearing jeans and a tee-shirt.

"Any new tattoos?" Jax asked breaking the silence. Melanie rolled her eyes.

"No. Any new cover-ups?" Melanie asked. They were of course referring the tattoos they had gotten together. It wasn't their names but something that reminded them of each other. Melanie had gotten a tattoo of Jax's motorcycle and Jax sported a dragonfly reading a book. Strange yes but they had meaning and neither one wanted to jinx getting a name tattooed on them. A lot of good that had done though, since in the end, they broke up.

"Never." Jax replied. Melanie shrugged and took another sip of the water she played with. She glanced at the clock and seeing that time was certainly flying by she stood up.

"I think I better head home." Jax stood up too taking a sip of his beer.

"I'll take you." He said. When she started to protest he gave her a look that silenced her.

"Relax. I'm not let anything happen to you." He said. They said goodbyes to those there and left the Clubhouse.

She was a complete failure. She had become what everyone said she would be: nothing. She couldn't keep her husband and now she couldn't even keep her baby. She'd fucked everything up and for what? Another hit? A few moments of complete bliss? Was it really worth it in the end? She started to cry and looked at the black book sitting on the table in front of her. She looked up at the ceiling and then pulled the book towards her. Maybe it would offer the help she needed. How many times had she seen on television all these people find God after fucking theirs lives up?

She opened the book to no specific place and began to read the words written there. Sinners looking for redemption. Salvation is what she needed and right now this looked like the only thing offering it. Maybe if she got her self cleaned up, found God and made an attempt at a normal life Jax would come back to her and she would see her baby. She began to read more but slowly the words seemed to melt into each other and her brain began to loose focus. She started to get that feeling again. The pain in her stomach, the empty feeling in the body that could only be fixed by a quick shot of Meth. She bit her lip and looked around the room.

Frustrated she closed the book and shoved it aside. This wasn't going to work. There was nothing she could do now.

The door to her room opened and she looked up. Gemma Teller Morrow stood there. Wendy wasn't stupid, she knew that Gemma didn't like her and after all that had happened she was certain this visit was not to check on her well being.

The man sitting in the pick up truck parked on the residential street was keeping a low profile. He had watched houses before, so he knew what he was doing. When he heard the rumble of the Harley coming down the street he slouched lower on the seat. He watched as the bitch sitting on the back got off and took the helmet off her head dark hair falling down past her shoulders. She was hot, someone that he would definitely fuck. Maybe when this all went down he would take her. It would serve the punk right to fuck his girl, willing or not.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Since the show is so new and there's only been one episode to date I do have to add in a few OC's and make up some things just because I haven't been introduced to them all yet

_**A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! Glad to see some other people are digging this show as much as me! I've put in line breaks, which denotes a change in scene and POV. I don't really like using them but it helps readers with the story. Hope this makes the difference.**_

"It was the sexiest thing ever when he put that jacket on. Sally, the things he did to me…Seriously, I've never had such an intense orgasm in my entire life." Melanie listened to the conversation with only mild interest. Emily was the town whore and listening to her personal life wasn't even on a blimp on her priority radar.

The bar she was currently working at was still pretty empty since it was early evening. She spent this time cleaning up the bar and the shelves that held the liquor. Yeah, she was living the life now. Bartending at small bar in Charming, California with a bachelor's in History, taking care of her alcoholic mother and still in love with a man who cheated on her with a meth whore who almost killed their child. Nice.

"Emily, you are the luckiest bitch ever. How many people can say they got fucked by Jax?" Sally said. They laughed loudly.

"Well, apparently quite a few. Aren't you one of them, Melanie?" Emily asked. Melanie was now standing there staring at them. It was a deliberate job at baiting her and back in the days Melanie would have probably jumped over the bar and beat the seat out of both of them. But she was a different person and she wasn't going to be coaxed into a fight, especially by a couple of sluts like Emily and Sally.

"Yeah obviously I was with Jax and you know that. Luckily I was there before his taste changed to the nasty, stank and overused bitches he's with now." She said. She threw down the towel she was using to clean and walked away from them. She heard them start to say nasty things about her but she didn't want to hear anymore. Fuck them and fuck Jax. She should have known he was just another asshole. God, and to think that she was actually thinking he was trying to make things better. She didn't know why she was wasting her time trying to be his friend.

Shit just seemed to be piling up lately. First Wendy and her fucking habit almost killing the baby, then finding his father's old stuff in supply, and now trying to make things a little better for the Son's and the shit hitting the fan. Last night at the convenience store had been fucking trippy shit and for what? He had just wanted to teach that fucking asshole a lesson and look what happens – a fucking axe in his head. That was crazy.

Jax looked over at the sleeping form of Wendy and tried to figure out why he was even there. He didn't really care for Wendy anymore. At one point he thought that he loved her but it turned out to be just a passing feeling of lust. With Melanie back in the picture he wasn't so sure about things anymore. Could he make things right with Melanie? Would she give him another chance? Would he fuck it up like he had done before?

He got up from the chair and after giving Wendy one more look he walked out of the room. It was time to move on and moving on meant leaving shit. Wendy was one of those things he needed to break free from. Completely.

By nine o'clock the bar was beginning to pick up business. People were off work and it was a Friday night. Time to cut loose and get trashed.

Melanie was filling the drink order for one particular table when she looked up and saw Jax and a couple of the boys walk in. She quickly turned her back and grabbed a bottle of tequila from the shelf. Fuck him. She finished pouring the shots and put all the drinks on the tray for the server. Her attention was grabbed by a guy waving at the end of the bar so she went there and got him the beers he requested. By the time she had finished Jax, Opie and Juan were standing before.

"Hey, Opie. How you doing? How's the family?" Melanie asked smiling brightly at him. She had always liked Opie. He was just a sweet guy. He smiled.

"Doing good. Adjusting to me being back but doing okay. Donna wants you to stop by sometime." He said. Melanie nodded.

"I will. I'll call her."

"Hey." Jax said grabbing Melanie's attention. Melanie fixed him with a cold glare.

"What?" She asked. Jax frowned.

"What's the matter?" He asked. Melanie crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"You're what's the matter, Jax. I should have known you were still a fucking asshole. I don't know why I bother being social with you. You manage to fuck everything up." She turned walked from behind the bar heading outside to have a smoke.

No sooner had she lit her cigarette then Jax come out of the door and approached her. He looked pissed but she didn't care. She didn't have to explain herself to him.

"What the fuck is the problem?" Jax asked. He was standing close to her, invading her space and she took a step to the side.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing, just me being upset about something that no longer has anything to do with me." Melanie replied.

"Tell me." Jax said. Melanie shook her head. Why was she getting upset? She'd done the pissed off thing with Jax before and she didn't want to do it again. There was no reason for her to be upset.

"Emily was here tonight, bragging about how well you took care of her. For some stupid reason I got upset about it. I don't know why though, it's not like I have any claim to you." Melanie said. She took a final drag from the cigarette and then crushed it underneath her sneaker. She moved to pass him and head back into the bar but he grabbed her upper arm.

"Forget about Emily. I don't want to be with her." Jax said. Melanie rolled her eyes.

"I don't care who you want to be with." Melanie said and shook her arm free from his hand. She turned to face him. "Like I said, it doesn't matter to me anymore." She said.

In the span of about thirty seconds Jax had grabbed her face with hands and was kissing her. Her mind was slow to react and for the briefest of moments it caught up, she let herself enjoy the kiss. The way his tongue dragged across her bottom lip before she opened her mouth to let him in. The way their tongues glided over each other. She'd always loved kissing Jax. Just when she felt herself start to lean into him her brain reacted and she put her hands on his chest and pushed hard. He stumbled back a few feet and she wiped her mouth.

"Don't do that again, Jax." She said and she walked away back into the bar.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Sorry about the line breaks everyone. I added them after I had typed everything up but silly me I forgot to save my changes! Anyway – on with the story.**_

**Fucked up.** That's what this whole thing was. On one hand she would give her arm to be with him, but on the other hand, being with him would probably be the worst idea ever. Apparently being friends wasn't going to work. There was too much history there and it was history that she didn't want repeated.

She had no one to talk to. Someone that could be her wall to bounce thoughts off of. Had she made a terrible mistake with coming back to Charming? Maybe she should have stayed in San Diego. She'd had a great job out there, friends that she hung out with, normal dates with normal men that didn't walk the thin line between right and wrong.

But no, her mother needed her help even if she didn't see it. She threw everything away to come back to Charming. Charming…what asshole had named this town, anyway? Living in Charming was anything but that.

"God!" Melanie shouted and sank into the old couch of her mother's living room. She grabbed one of the matching pillows and hugged it to her chest. What the hell was she going to do? She turned and looked at the phone. She snatched up the receiver and punched in the numbers.

"Hey Donna, its Melanie. I'm glad I called too. So listen what are you up to now? Can I come over? We can sit and catch up…great. I'll see you in a little bit. Bye." Melanie hung and went to the front hallway of the little house. A large mirror was hanging over a small table where her purse and keys were. She looked at her reflection for a moment. Black hair in a pony tail, no make up and dressed in jeans and t-shirt. She looked fine.

Somehow things had all gone blurry. He wasn't sure exactly what to do anymore. His commitments to the Sons, to his family and to his friends all seemed hazy. There was no clear outlined path for him anymore and he blamed it all on what his father had written. Things in there – the plans – were so far from what they were in actuality that he questioned what he should do. He couldn't talk to his mother about it and there was no fucking way he could talk to Clay. Maybe Opie could offer insight into this.

* * *

"Jax!" Jax looked up from the axel rod he was working on. He flipped up his visor and cut off the torch. Clay was standing in the office doorway motioning for him to come over. He took off the visor and set and the torch on the work bench.

"What's up?" He asked walking into the office. Clay shut the door behind him.

"I got word of a truck shipment passing through here. I need and a couple of the boys to give the driver a little…'help' getting into our hands." Clay said. He continued on with the information.

"No problem. I'll handle it." Jax said.

"Listen. I know that your personal life is just that – your personal life, but I just wanted to know what you planning on doing. You gonna seek full custody of Abel, right?" Clay asked. Jax shrugged.

"That's what I was thinking." He answered.

"And Wendy?" Jax looked down at the ground.

"She's my ex-wife and that's the way it's going to stay. She'll always be in my life because she's the mother of my son, but that's as far as it goes."

Clay nodded. They stood there for a few minutes in silence before Clay took off his sunglasses and looked at Jax.

"So what's going on with you and Melanie?" Jax looked at him, frowning.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Jax. Are you trying to get back with her?" Clay asked. Jax walked away from him and opened the door.

"I don't know what's going on with me and Melanie. It's nobody's business anyway." Jax said and walked back into the shop.

He knew what Clay was trying to get at. Clay and Gemma had always thought of Melanie as one of the family and when things had gone bad, they both had been pissed at him. He couldn't blame them for wanting to keep looking out for her but it still irked him that they were being overprotective, afraid that he would hurt her again. That's not what he wanted to do. Hell, he wasn't even sure what he wanted to do but he knew that Melanie was always on his mind.

After the other night at the bar when he had kissed her, he had kicked himself because he should have waited but she just looked at him that way and he did the only thing that came to mind. Well it wasn't the only thing that had come to mind but she'd pushed him away and told her to never do it again. He would just to take things a little slower.

* * *

"There she is." He said. They watched as the dark haired girl pulled her piece of shit car into the driveway of her small house. She got out and walked up the front steps and after fumbling with her keys she unlocked the front door. The men waited until she had gotten in the house and then opened the doors to the dark SUV they were sitting in. They were with the MAYANS and tonight was the night they were going to start paying back the Sons.

Light filtered through the windows of the house as they crept up the front lawn. They dropped down low under the windows of the front room and pulled lighters. They each held bottles filled with amber colored liquid and rags sticking out of the tops. One nodded to the other and they lit up the rags. The cloth ignited instantly and began to burn through the opening of the bottle. That's when they jumped up and threw the bottles through the windows of the house.

A scream could be heard and then something in the house caught fire. They ran back to the SUV and tore off down the street, passing people running towards the fire. The passenger pulled out his cell phone.

"It's done." He said. He listened to what the person on the other end said and then hung up.

"That's it for tonight." He said and they drove out of the town limits.


	6. Chapter 6

She was standing outside in the street with her mother holding on to her arm. The house was pretty much destroyed. The front half of it was been burned pretty badly. The firefighters were still there though the fire had been put out. They need to investigate now. It was arson and the fact that someone in this town would do it was enough to make Jax want to kill.

She turned around when she heard the motorcycles approach. She spotted Jax and stared at him. He wasn't sure what the look was. Relief? Anger? Blame? Did she blame him for this? Did she think that he anything to do with it? He turned of the bike and ran over to her.

"Melanie!" He grabbed her arm and turned her around. He inspected her. She was covered in black soot. He looked over at her mother and she frowned at him.

"What the fuck is he doing here? Thought you two were over with." She asked. Melanie sighed looked at her mother.

"Mom we are. He just came over to make sure we were okay." She said. She looked at Jax to confirm this.

"Whatever. I need to sit." With that her mother pulled free and walked over to the curb and sat down. Melanie looked after for a minute before turning her attention back to Jax.

"Are you two okay?" Jax asked. Melanie nodded. Jax looked again at the house and cursed. "What happened? Did you see anything? Anyone?" He asked. Melanie shook her head.

"No. I'd just come back from the store. Not even here for 5 minutes then the next thing I know something comes through the windows and the lands on the couch. Well that lights up quickly because it's old as dirt. I tried to put it out but the fire extinguisher under the sink was out of date and didn't work. So I called the fire department, grabbed mom and got outside." She explained. "Someone said they saw a dark colored SUV parked across the street but I don't remember seeing one." Melanie continued.

Opie had by now come to where they were talking. He hugged Melanie and asked if she was alright. When she answered him he turned to Jax.

"Got a second?" Jax nodded and they walked a few feet away from Melanie.

"What's up?" Opie nodded over to a couple of teenage boys standing on the other side of the street. They were dressed like skaters and being bad asses smoking clove cigarettes.

"Those boys said they are pretty sure it was MAYANS. They didn't get a great look at them but they were Mexicans and one of the boys swore he'd seen one of them running with them. I don't know. What do you think?" Opie asked. He pulled out a pack of smokes and handed one to Jax.

Jax could feel his blood boiling. It was now getting personal. Too personal, when they were bringing in "civilians" to a fight was between motorcycle clubs. He glanced over at where Melanie was. She was now standing by her mother checking on her to make sure she was alright.

He loved her. Loved her more than he thought he did. He had been in a panic when he'd heard about the fire. When he thought that Melanie had been hurt he thought he was going to loose it. And now, to hear that those fucking assholes might have had something to do with this, it was too much right now. He couldn't be around her. He didn't want to do or say something that would upset her. He didn't want to scare her off.

"Set her and her mother up at my place. . It's pretty much cleaned out since my mom's been there almost every fucking day. Here's a few bucks to stop and get them some things they'll need. I'm gonna find out some more on this, find out who the fuck thought they do some shit like this. Call me when they are settled." Jax said. He'd pulled a couple of hundreds and handed them to Opie. When Jax started walking the opposite direction of Melanie, Opie stopped him.

"You gonna say anything to her before you take off?" Opie asked, puzzled. Jax looked back at her and then shook her head.

"Nah. Just tell her…just tell her I'll talk to her later or something." Jax said and continued on across the street.

* * *

The house was nice. Clean and furnished with decent furniture. Melanie looked around and though she was less than thrilled with staying in a house that Jax had shared with Wendy it was one less thing that she had to worry about. The thought of trying to find a place right now was not appealing.

She was still a pissed that Jax had left without saying anything to her. She guessed she should be grateful because he didn't have to do what he'd done but it still irritated her. She'd seen him talking to some street punks. Then watched him get on his bike, and ride off somewhere in a hurry.

"Thanks for helping us out, Opie. I really appreciate it. Make sure that you tell Donna I'm sorry you got dragged out her so late." Melanie said. Opie shook his head.

"She'll be happy to hear that I was doing good and staying out of trouble. She was really happy when you came by earlier. She doesn't get to spend much time with friends what with the kids and work. Thanks." Opie said. Melanie's mother had been put to bed, so it was just the two of them standing in the living room.

"I like Donna a lot. She's a good woman and you two are lucky to have each other." Melanie said. Opie sighed.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm a let down. That I've fucked things up with her and she's just with me because of the kids." Opie said. Melanie snorted.

"You are kidding me right? Donna has been in love with since I don't know when. She knows you. Sure shits hard right now but it will get better." Melanie said. Opie smiled.

"Thanks, Mel. Okay, are you all set for tonight? If you need anything call me." Melanie nodded. They hugged and Melanie walked him to the door.

"Thanks, Opie." Melanie said. She waited at the door till he had left then she closed it and locked all the locks. She then went to all the windows and checked to make sure they were secured too.

Why had someone deliberated targeted the house? It was a little much for some bored kids to do. This wasn't setting off firecrackers on the front porch, it was trying to hurt someone. She felt a cold chill creep down her spine and she hugged herself tightly. The tears fell shortly after and she sat on the couch crying softly to herself. It had been the most intense night of her life. The adrenaline was wearing off and the reality of the situation was setting in. She and her mother had almost been killed.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Please excuse my creative license – I'm sticking with the plotline of the series as best as I can.**_

It was a great day for a carnival. Sun was shining, it was warm and naturally having a little fun put everyone in a good mood.

Melanie thought that the carnival would be the best thing for her. It would take her mind off of the events over the last couple of days and she could have fun. She'd talked with Donna and when Donna had said she and the kids weren't going, Melanie called in her stubborn Irish nature and eventually got Donna to agree to meet her.

So after dressing in the old denim mini and the blue tank top and matching flip flops she'd managed to salvage from the fire destroyed house, she left her mom with her bottle of liquor and took off for the carnival.

Finding Donna was easy enough. The kids were jumping up and down with excitement and yelling to their mother exactly what they wanted to do. Melanie was amazed that Donna could understand what they were saying since they were speaking a mile a minute and at the same time.

"Okay, who wants to ride the roller coaster with me?" Melanie asked. They all raised their hands and Melanie laughed.

An hour later Melanie felt a little sick to her stomach and was sure that she had a bug stuck in her tooth. Kids meant nonstop energy and she would never understand why people had them, let alone more than one.

"Serious. I need a break. You are killing me. Here take the rest of the tickets and entertain yourselves, if it's okay with mom." Melanie said. Donna nodded.

"Stay together and be safe. Stay in this area too, please!" Donna shouted after them. Melanie plopped down on a picnic bench and Donna sat beside her.

"You amaze me." Melanie said. Donna chuckled and looked at her quizzically.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Melanie pointed at the kids in line for a ride.

"How you can handle those kids, work and still manage to not have mentally broken down." She explained. Donna laughed.

"Trust me, I've come close. Especially when Opie was locked up, there were a couple of times I nearly came close to doing that, but…well it all worked out in the end. I can't imagine my life without my kids now." She said. Melanie couldn't help but feel a slight pang. She remembered a time when her mom was outgoing and always there. Of course now she was the complete opposite.

She had no desire to have kids. She liked kids, she just didn't want to have them around her all the time. She liked her quiet time, her space and mostly she liked freedom. She knew once she had a kid it was all over so she never planned on having one.

"Come on. Let's get some fried dough." Melanie said pulling Donna to her feet. They were standing in the line when she was surprised by an arm slipping around her shoulder. She looked to her side and there was a smiling Jax. She rolled her eyes.

"How are you ladies doing?" He asked. Donna was not particularly fond of Jax and Melanie knew that. Donna looked over at the kids instead of answering Jax.

"Good. Having some fun? And how are you?" Melanie said, smiling. Jax's arm was still around her shoulder. He smelled great, a combination of smells that Melanie had always liked.

"Great. So how's the house working for you? Got everything you need?" He asked. His arm slipped from her shoulders and Melanie bit her tongue when she almost protested. She was pleasantly surprised when she felt his hand slid down her back and around to rest on her hip. She knew she should move it because it was probably not wise to give the wrong impression, especially since he'd kissed her, but she liked his hand there. It made her feel safe.

"I got everything. I wanted to say thanks, Jax. I really appreciate you helping me and mom out. As soon as I find a place we'll be out and you can have your house back." She said. Jax turned her body slightly so she was facing him.

"You take all the time you need, Mel. Don't rush." Melanie smiled at him and she bit her lip when she noticed his eyes trailing down and checking her out. "You look good today." He said and he gave this smile that melted Melanie. She swore she was a puddle of goop on the ground.

"Thanks, Jax." She murmured. They stood there for a moment and only when Donna loudly cleared her throat did Melanie realize it was her turn to order. She blushed slightly and stumbled up to the window.

"Two, please." She said. She reached behind her to pull some money from the back pocket of her skirt but her wrist was grabbed and held behind her. Jax pressed his body close to her back.

"I got it." He said in her ear and threw some money on the counter. Melanie's heart was racing in her chest. He let go of her wrist and his hand found its way around her and rested on her stomach, pressing her back into him slightly. The vendor put two paper plates with round dough down and Melanie grabbed one and pivoted slightly to hand it to Donna. She grabbed her own and reluctantly pulled away from Jax to step to the side and put the powered sugar on the dough.

"I'm gonna go check on the kids, see if they want anything. I'll be back. Thanks for the dough, Jax." Donna said and started walking across the field. Melanie sat at the picnic table the two women had previously occupied. Jax sat beside her.

"Can I have a bite?" Jax asked. Melanie smiled.

"Of course, you paid. Thank you, by the way." She ripped off a chunk and went to hand it to Jax but instead he opened his mouth. Melanie stared for a few minutes. She licked her lips and then raised the greasy fried batter to his mouth. He bit down and groaned.

"Mm, that's good." He said. Melanie felt her mouth go dry and she watched him chew for a few minutes before she unconsciously brought the piece of dough he had eaten from to her mouth. She nodded when she tasted it. There was something about fried dough at a carnival. It made sense.

"Yeah it's good." She agreed.

"You have some sugar on you." Melanie went to wipe it off but Jax leaned forward and to her surprise stuck his tongue out and licked it from the corner of her mouth. He pulled back slightly and stared at her. She gulped. What the hell? Was he seducing her?

"I always said you tasted so sweet." He added.

She did the only thing that came to her. She grabbed a hold of his leather vest and pulled him to her. It felt so good to kiss him. It was a passion filled kiss. Nothing timid or shy about it, their tongues battled each other. Melanie wrapped her arms around his neck and Jax had his around her waist.

Melanie moaned into Jax's mouth and he pulled her closer. The world around her seemed to disappear. She was focused only on Jax and how good it felt kissing him. When she finally needed to breathe, she pulled away slowly. They were both breathing heavily. She frowned slightly when he stood up, but he grabbed her hand and was pulling her across the field.

"Where are we going? She asked. Jax slowed slightly but his path was clear. They were heading toward the exit.

"We have business we need to take care of right now." He said. Oh okay, she thought following after him.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Since the show is so new and there's only been one episode to date I do have to add in a few OC's and make up some things just because I haven't been introduced to them all yet

_**A/N: What a cliffhanger…how cruel am I?**_

The parking lot was filled with cars and motorcycles. Jax led Melanie through the maze until he came to stop at his bike. Melanie stopped behind him and gave him a puzzled look.

"What's going on, Jax?" She asked, looking around. She put her hands on her narrow hips and then fixed her eyes on him. They were a pale blue and he had always loved the shade especially in contrast to her dark hair.

He turned and faced her. He grabbed her hands in his own and pulled her slightly to him. He was looking at the ground, trying to come up with the best way to say what he had to. He had to do it and he had to know what she was thinking.

"Melanie, I love you. I always have and I always will. I know that I hurt you when I fucked things up. I'm not going to bore you with a damn excuse. I fucked up. I wish I hadn't but I did. Then you leaving…well it was kinda like outta sight, outta mind, ya know? But now having you around again makes me realize how much I want to be with you." He paused and Melanie opened her mouth to say something but Jax halted her.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. She didn't respond immediately, just stood there while he ran his tongue across her lips. She finally opened her mouth and let him and Jax felt like shouting his victory.

It was nothing like the kiss they had just shared inside the carnival. This one was slower, sweeter. He felt her take a step closer, pressing her body closer to him. Her hands ran up the front of his chest and then circled around his neck, resting in hair. She'd always loved playing with his hair.

They drew apart and Jax rested his forehead on Melanie's. He was almost scared at what she would have to say. Would she reject him? Would she tell him that she just couldn't get over his unfaithfulness? His heart pounded hard in his chest.

"I love you too, Jax. And I want to be with you too, but I think we need to take this slowly. There's a lot of shit going on right now and I don't want us to leap into something and mess it all up." She said. He smiled widely and then shouted into the air. Melanie started to laugh. Jax picked her up in his arms and swung her around. She let out a small scream and started laughing harder.

"Listen I can change my mind if you don't set me down now, you Neanderthal!" She said, playfully hitting his shoulders. He let her slide slowly down him and kept his hands around her waist.

"I'm so glad, baby. I can't tell you how fucking happy I am." He said and kissed her again. It started off as an innocent kiss but soon it deepened. They clung to each other, running their hands over each other, their tongues dueling for control.

Jax took advantage of the moment when they stopped to catch their breath and slowly moved Melanie backwards till her back was pinned up against a truck. She raised an eyebrow at him but he only smiled at her.

He pressed his body into her and bent his head to sample her neck. He knew she loved it when he kissed her neck. He wasn't surprised when she moaned softly and arched her neck for him to have a better angle.

"God I've missed this so much." Melanie breathed out. Jax lifted his head and looked at her. Her eyes were a dark blue and her mouth was slightly red from his facial hair. He ran his hand over the curve of her butt and then down the back of her thigh. He then lifted her leg and held it against his hip bringing their bodies closer. Her eyes widened and she bit her lip.

"So have I." He said and attacked her mouth again. It would figure that just as things were heating up to way beyond warm something or someone would come and interrupt them. Jax had to struggle not to stab the asshole that whistled at that moment.

He jerked his head up and turned it to the side. He let go of Melanie's leg and she ducked her head into his chest, hiding from the offending jackass.

"It's about fucking time but the wrong fucking time. Let's go. We got shit to take care of." Tig shouted. Jax nodded and then looked back to Melanie.

"I gotta go. You working tonight?" She nodded. "Okay I'll stop by the bar later then." He kissed her and then backed up to his bike.

* * *

She was walking back into the carnival like a zombie, on complete auto pilot. The events that had just happened were playing over and over in her head and she couldn't stop the huge grin that plastered itself on her face. Then she had to mentally punch herself because she knew that if Tig hadn't shown up at that moment she and Jax would have been having sex in the damn parking lot, no doubt.

She smirked. Well it wouldn't be the first time they'd had sex in a public place. It certainly wouldn't be the last either.

"What's that grin all about?" Melanie looked up and smiled widely when she saw Gemma standing there. She did the only thing she could think of and that was to hug Gemma tightly.

"Well okay? Thank you, sweetie, but what's going on?" She asked. She had her hands on Melanie's upper arms holding her back and looking into her face.

"Well…something amazing has happened. Jax and I are…well we're back together." Melanie said. Gemma screamed loudly and hugged Melanie tightly. Passersby stopped to see what the hell was going on and then continued on when they realized it was just Gemma being herself.

"Oh my fucking God! Thank you!" She shouted into the sky and then did a little dance. Melanie started laughing. "You'll have dinner at the house with us on Sunday then, got it. Oh my baby girl, I'm so happy!" She said.

Melanie was grabbed into a tight hug again and she welcomed it. It was nice to know that she had Gemma. Gemma had become the mother she needed. She offered the love that her own biological mother was incapable of showing now.

Things were definitely looking up and Melanie thought there was nothing now that could bring her down.


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Suspense…it brings 'em back for more…Sorry it took so long to update. I promise that won't happen again!**_

Poor little Tristan. To be violated by some asshole roaming the quiet streets of Charming, California. What the hell was this world coming to? Sure things happened here in Charming. There was no denying that there was illegal activity going on and most of it happening from the SAMCRO boys. Anyone could see that.

Raping a young girl was not something that should happen though and it was not a local that did it. At least that's what everyone hoped. There was no telling with most of the guys running with the MC's being criminals anyway. Did anyone of them have a history of sexual crimes? No one really knew for sure except the law and well most of the people in town knew the law was working for one club or the other.

It was getting close to closing time and Melanie had enough of the local drunks. There was only so much that one could handle and with the Carnival in town and everyone drinking all day long, by this time of night most were falling down drunk and needing support to the their rides home.

How many times had she come to this bar to pick up her mother? She couldn't remember. Her mother had stopped coming here though when the drinking had gotten worse and preferred to stay at home and drink. That was when Melanie had left for San Diego.

She'd finished college and she'd become a social worker at one of the youth centers in the city. She'd seen all matter of abuse on children and the affects of poor parenting. It had burned her out and burned her out quickly. A side effect of the job, she'd been told. It happened, even to the best. Some it took longer on, but eventually it got to you. Melanie hadn't been able to stand it anymore and that's what had prompted her to come back to Charming. To something that she knew and understood and while there was crime there wasn't anything like what had just happened to Tristan. Until now, at least.

Her cell phone rang and she put down the glass she was cleaning to pull the phone from her back pocket. The caller ID said it was Gemma and she answered with a smile.

"Hey Gemma." She stood there listening to what Gemma had to say. The smile came off her face, and a frown replaced it. "Well, do her parents want me to talk to her? I don't want to step on any feet and if her parents don't want me there-" She paused. "Okay, I'll try. Alright, I'll talk to you later." She hung up the phone and put it back in her pocket.

The front door opened and Jax walked in. He didn't look happy but he smiled for her. He walked up to the bar and she smiled at him. It was so strange to be back with Jax. It caused little butterflies in her stomach.

"Hey." He said. He leaned over the bar and kissed her.

"Hey." She replied when he pulled away. He sat on one of the bar stools and looked around. Most everyone had left but there still a few die hards that stayed until the last possible moment.

"Can I get a beer?" He asked. She nodded her head and went to get him one.

"Your mom just called me." Melanie said when she walked back over and placed the beer in front of him. He raised an eyebrow. "She wants me to go talk to the girl. I'm not sure if her parents even want me to get involved but Gemma thinks it might help." Melanie explained.

"Oh yeah?" Jax said. He sipped his beer and then set it down. He rubbed his hands over his face. "Fucking crazy, that's what it is. Here, in Charming." He said. Melanie nodded her head. It was the same thing everyone else was saying.

Melanie looked at the clock and seeing the time she called out that it was time for everyone to hit the road. There were a couple of muttered complaints but everyone pretty much got up and started filtering out.

"You hanging around till I'm done?" Melanie asked Jax. He nodded. She started the normal closing procedure. She emptied the till and put the money in the locking security bag. She then put it the back room in the safe for Rick to deposit in the morning. She went around and cleaned up the tables. Jax decided to help her out which she appreciated.

After finishing everything up she went and began to shut off lights. She grabbed her bag and keys and then locked up the building. Jax walked her to her car and they stood there, Jax resting his hands on her hips and her playing with the front of his leather jacket. The parking lot was deserted except for her old Honda and his motorcycle. A single street light cast light on them and Melanie could see that something was bothering Jax.

"What's the matter?" She asked. Jax sighed and turned his head to look at the street.

"I got a lot on my mind. There's us, the baby, Wendy, Sam Crow and now this bullshit with some dick raping a child." Jax said. Melanie looked down. She was slightly irritated that Wendy would be something weighing on his mind. But she couldn't be too upset, she was the mother of his child.

"I'm a good listener." She said smiling. Jax smiled back and hugged her.

"I know but I don't want to vent my frustrations on you. I would rather kick someone's ass instead. Besides right now all I want to do is jump in the backside of your car and make out." Jax said. Before Melanie had a chance to react he was opening her door and pulling her in.

"The father's got them looking for whoever raped that girl." His name was Rueben and he was sitting around a table in the clubhouse the MAYANS used. The other members gathered around the table looked to their leader for the next step they were going to take.

"We need to make sure things go badly for those Sam Crow boys. I hear they are planning on moving into Nevada, into our territory. We need to send a message when they try to do that. Have some men on the freeway watching for them. You seem them, shoot them." He said. The others nodded their heads.

"I don't think they got the message when we took care of his fucking old lady's house. Now is when we really need to let them know. They are a relic and it's our time now."

"I talked to my friend with ATF and he climbed on board. He is sending it through the wire and there should be an ATF agent coming out this way very soon." One of the captains threw out. The others chuckled.

"Just as long as ATF is off our ass and on Sam Crow's it sounds good to me." Some more chuckling and then one of them whistled. Scantily clad woman came parading in from the back room. People were paired off and finding any place in the establishment to continue on with the entertainment portion of the meeting.

Only Marcus Alvarez sat at the table they had just met at. He lit up a cigar and blew out a large plume of smoke. His cell phone buzzed and the display alerted him to the new text message he received.

_Our part starts in 3 days. Be Ready. E_

Marcus smiled and erased the message. He would be more than ready. It was about fucking time.

_**A/N: I don't know...I'm having some blocks here. Where I had originally planned to go with this story has changed. But don't worry...I will still be updating. Things might just change a little...**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: At long last! Sorry folks!!**_

It was nice to sit around a dining room table and enjoy a meal with people that were considered family. It was loud and there were obnoxious jokes and stories told but it was all in good humor and not intended to be hurtful.

Melanie loved dinners at Gemma and Clay's house. It was something she had missed and she'd not realized it until tonight when she'd come over earlier to help prepare the meal and now as she sat next to Jax at the large table laughing at a nasty joke Tig has just shared.

She speared a tomato with her fork and popped it in her mouth. She almost choked on it when she felt a hand slid across her upper thigh. She gave Jax a dirty look and he laughed. His hand stayed where it was and Melanie had to squeeze her legs together to stop him from trying to move it up further. She shot him a look and he chuckled softly.

"I'm gonna go up to the hospital after dinner, did you want to come with me?" Jax asked. Melanie smiled and nodded her head. She been to see the baby one before but she's always felt a little odd being there, looking at Jax's son. It was foreign concept to her…Jax being a father.

"Melanie honey, eat up. You are getting far too skinny." Gemma said from the end of the table. Melanie rolled her eyes and piled her fork high with food and shoved it in her mouth. Gemma winked at her and then turned her attention to something Clay was saying to her.

"You could stand to fill out some areas a little bit. I don't like bones poking me." Jax said. Melanie opened her mouth filled with half chewed food and Jax screwed up his face in disgust.

She managed to chew the rest and swallow it without choking when Jax managed to insinuate his hand further up her tightly closed legs. She dropped a hand into her lap and grabbed his wrist when he managed to reach his destination.

"Jax!" She whispered.

"I'd prefer you to scream my name." Jax said licking his lips. He was enjoying watching Melanie try to act nonchalant about the fact that he was rubbing her intimately through her jeans at the family dinner table. She was trying in vain to stop him and it was funny how she was turning a pale shade of pink.

"Stop it before someone sees!" She whispered again and Jax quirked an eyebrow and shook his head. He leaned close to her, his mouth centimeters from her ear.

"Go to the bathroom, I'll be there in 2 minutes." He said. Melanie shook her head but a quick shift of his hand had her jumping up from the table and mumbling something about having to pee. Jax was chuckling and shrugging his shoulders when Gemma shot him a questioning look.

He waited for what seemed like an eternity before he got up. He winked at Gemma and made his way towards the back of the house where the bathroom was located. The door was shut but he could hear the water running in the sink. He knocked softly and then turned the handle. He walked in and Melanie shut off the water and dried her hands.

She watched him in the mirror as he quietly shut the door and then turn the lock. He was looking at her like he was planning on eating her up and she felt a shiver go down her spine at the thought.

He pressed his body tightly against her back and his hands immediately found their way underneath the hem of her shirt. He didn't waste time, quickly cupping her breasts and flicking his thumb over the peaks. Melanie moaned and leaned back slightly, her head coming to rest on his shoulder.

His mouth found her neck and he began to lick and nibble on the spot that always had driven her completely nuts. She lifted an arm and put her hand in his hair. She pulled gently on his hair and their lips fused together, their tongues battling for control. She relinquished control to him because she knew that's what he liked.

While it wasn't exactly her choice of places to have sex with Jax after so long it was good enough. Clothes were pulled of quickly and soon Jax had Melanie partially sitting on the sink with her legs wrapped around his waist. Their bodies were slick with sweat and Melanie had to bite her lip to keep from moaning loudly every time he hit the right spot.

"God you feel so good." Jax said. He was watching her face intently. Melanie couldn't find words at that moment so she nodded and smiled.

Jax has been her first and even while they were broken up she's rarely found someone that had sparked in her interest. There was no one that compared to Jax. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd last had sex but it has been awhile. She was more than ready and the combination of sexual frustration, Jax's performance and the thrill of getting caught were making it hard for her to last long. She could feel the tightening in her stomach and the she voiced that she was close aloud to Jax.

It hit her quickly and when it did Jax covered her mouth with hand so no one in the dining room could here. He'd stopped his movements until she'd started to float down from the cloud she was previously sitting on and when she opened her eyes and looked at him, he surged forward eliciting a squeak from Melanie. He changed his tactic and became even more aggressive. His hand came up and closed around her neck. Her head was pushed back against the mirror and her breath hitched. He slammed into her and soon she was feeling the sensations pulling at her again. It became too much and she cried out loudly. Jax groaned and ground into her, his own orgasm hitting him.

The bathroom was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing and the smell of sweat and sex. Jax reluctantly pulled away from her and they spent the next few minutes slowly dressing. They would smile and chuckle slightly when they looked at each other.

"I can't believe we just did this in Gemma's bathroom. It's like we're in high school again!" Melanie said.

"I love you." Jax said. Melanie stopped buttoning up her shirt and looked at Jax. She smiled widely.

"I love you, too." She said. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his tenderly on the lips. He returned the kiss and his hands found their way to her ass, cupping it and pulling her tightly against him. He groaned and deepened the kiss then pulled back slightly.

"Damn woman. I've gotten the taste and now I want more." He said. He made his point with a quick thrust of his hips. Melanie giggled and pushed him away. She finished buttoning up her shirt.

"Jackson Teller get dressed. Everyone has probably figured out what we are doing." Melanie said. Jax mumbled a complaint but finished dressing anyway. They opened the door slowly and after seeing that the hallway was empty the smiled at each other and then made their way back to the dining room where the sounds of laughing could be heard.

"It's about fucking time! You know you are kids anymore, you could just fuck in a bed like everyone else!" Melanie felt her cheeks heat at the comment Clay made. Jax winked at Clay and sat in his chair pulling Melanie down on to his lap.

"Yeah but it's a whole hell of a lot more fun to do it in different ways and places." Jax said. Melanie pinched his leg and felt her face grow hotter.

"Listen I don't want to hear conversations about my boy having sex. It's not something I want to have floating around in my head, but while it's out there, did you two at least clean up because I don't want to find anything sticking to something it shouldn't!" Gemma said. The table erupted in loud laughter and Melanie could only duck her head into Jax's neck and hope the subject was changed…quickly.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I just want to say how sorry I am for not updating in so long. A lot of things have been happening and well I've not had the opportunity. So without further ado, here is another chapter!**

**~Inked4Life**

Melanie was pretty sure that things had gone from "moving slowly" to fast lane in less than 60 seconds. In retrospect she shouldn't have had sex with Jax in the Gemma's bathroom, but it happened and all she could do was accept what she had done and move on. She wasn't going to complain. She'd enjoyed the whole experience, minus the embarrassment of having their business broadcast at the dinner table. That was the Sons though, no such thing as a secret in this family.

After having finished dinner and ignoring Gemma's protests at helping clear the dishes and take care of them, she and Jax had taken off and headed to the hospital. She went to check on the baby and make sure that everything was okay. It was nice to walk around, holding his hand, walking through the hospital.

Things certainly seemed to be looking up and Melanie was not one to question a good thing.

She was finishing up cleaning her car when another car pulled in the driveway behind her. She turned and looked at the unfamiliar red Honda and dropped the rag on to the trunk and wiped her hands on the back of her jean shorts.

She groaned and rolled her eyes when Emily came out of the car, sauntering over to her. She'd not heard much from the nasty bitch since that night in the bar when she'd tried to bait her with her story of Jax and her.

"Hey Melanie!" Emilie said waving her hand and talking in a sickly sweet voice. Melanie had to hold back the urge to vomit.

"What's up Emily?" Melanie asked, putting her hands on her hips. Melanie noticed the manila envelope in Emily's acrylic hands and wondered what she was up to.

"Well you know how I am always looking out for the welfare of all my friends…" Melanie could not hold back the laughter that escaped her lips. Emily frowned at her and came to a stop in front of her. "Anyways, I just thought you would be interested in seeing something. You know I work with Ted, the Private Detective, and well I came across something. I really shouldn't be showing you this but I thought it would be of interest to you – especially now." She held out the envelope and Melanie slowly took it.

"What's this?" Melanie asked. Emily only quirked an overly tweezed eyebrow, and Melanie was forced to open it. She pulled out a single sheet. It was white but she knew it was a photo. It was when she turned it over to see the contents of the photo that she felt the bile rise into the back of her throat.

It was a picture of Jax fucking some girl from behind in what looked like a seedy hotel. Melanie stared at the photo for what seemed an eternity because she crumbled it up and threw it at Emily. She didn't reply when Emily shouted after her.

"That was taken two weekends ago when Jax went out of town. Wasn't that about the time you two got back together?" Melanie slammed the front door shut. She leaned against the door and felt the tears begin to slide down her cheeks. Of course she was still living in Jax's house and was surrounded by constant reminders of him. She pushed away from the door and grabbed her purse from the dining room table and then headed to her car.

* * *

"So then this bitch drops to her knees and starts sucking me off!" Everyone laughed at the joke. The clubhouse was packed. It was just about time for the meeting to begin. Jax was listening half-hearted to the conversation. He had Melanie on his mind. He smiled to himself thinking about how things had progressed so well with her lately, far better than he had ever hoped for. He was righting things with the person that he belonged with.

He glanced up slightly when the front door of the place had opened and was shocked when he saw Melanie come in. He got worried when he saw the expression on her face. It was one he knew. He stood up from his chair and walked over to her.

"What's wrong Mel? Is your mom okay-" he was cut off when Melanie punched him square in the jaw. His head cocked to the side and he grabbed it with his hand. It took him a moment to realize what had happened and then he turned back to her.

"What the fuck was that for?" He yelled. He was unaware of how quiet things had gotten in the club house and that he and Melanie were now the main attraction.

"You fucker!" She screamed and pushed him in the chest. He stumbled back a few feet. He was completely lost right now, unsure of why she was unleashing on him. "I have got to be the stupidest bitch ever to believe that things would be different! You are a fucking asshole and I never want to see you again. We'll be out of your house tonight!" She yelled and then turned on her heel and headed for the door.

Jax felt his heart drop. What the hell had just happened? He rushed after her and grabbed her upper arm and turned her around.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He asked. Melanie was crying and he felt like hugging her tightly to him.

"Ask Emily." Jax opened his mouth to respond but Melanie continued on. "She showed me a nice picture of you fucking some slut at a hotel in Nevada. Hope she was worth it!" Melanie yelled and with that she raced out of the building. Jax could only stand there with his mouth hanging open feeling like the world had just swallowed him up.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Jax turned around and faced Clay who was standing there looking as if he would hit as well. In fact everyone was pretty much looking at him that way. Almost everyone.

"I don't know." Jax said. Clay looked at him. The disappointment was obvious. Jax nursed his jaw and looked down at the floor.

"You're a piece of work. Why the hell did you have to go and pull that shit twice on her? Your fucking mother is going to freak out." Clay said and stalked away from him. Jax stood there thinking about how he had fucked up again and the worst was this time it had been for nothing more than a one night stand.

* * *

"He what?!?!" Gemma yelled. She stopped writing in the ledger and threw it down on the desk. She was in the office of the garage and Clay was there. He'd just told her what had transpired at the club house. "That stupid God damn kid!" She said and shook her head.

She'd been delighted when Jax and Melanie had rekindled their relationship, a relationship that Gemma had approved of from day one, but now her son had done and fucked things up and the worst part was this was not the first time. She was beginning to wonder if Jax would ever be capable of having a normal healthy relationship with any woman.

"She stormed out. She told him that she and her mother would be out of the house tonight. I'm not really sure where she's gonna go." Clay said. He tried not to get to involved in things like this but Melanie was a sweet girl and it killed him that his step son had done and done this shit again.

"Well we'll have to help her out, at least until she can get things sorted out." Gemma said. Clay nodded his head.

* * *

Jax pulled the bike into the driveway and cut the engine off. Her car was in the driveway already and he could see she was already packing things into. Packing was really what he would call it though, it looked more like she was throwing the crap in there without any thought.

He pulled off this helmet and hooked on to the handlebar and then slowly made his way up to the door. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to say but he knew that he needed to smooth things over. He needed to make things right with her because she was who he wanted.

He was just about to knock on the door when it was flung open and Melanie was standing there holding garbage bags filled with clothes. She was surprised to see him standing there and she cried out in shock. She was realized it was him she pushed past him.

"What the hell do you want? I told you to stay the hell away from me." Melanie said pushing the garbage bags into the back seat of her car. Jax moved closer to her.

"Melanie, you have to let me explain this to you. It's not like what you think, I swear to God. That shit happened before I even thought I had a chance with you." Jax got out before Melanie pushed past him and went back into the house. He made to follow her but she stopped him at the door.

"I thought that maybe with you having had to grow up lately with all the shit you are dealing with, that things would a lot different. God, I mean I was willing to overlook everything. To start things out on a clean slate, and then I've got people like Emily showing me a picture of you and some girl. I've got people constantly asking me why, and you know what? I'm not sure of that answer." Melanie said.

"Mel I swear on Abel's life that I am different, that I'm not going to fuck things up. I want to be with you. I want only you and I'm gonna fight to make sure that it stays that way." Jax said.

Melanie sighed and dropped her head. Jax stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her waist.

"Baby, please. I love you." He whispered. Melanie raised her head and Jax's heart thumped harder when seeing the tears falling from her eyes.

"You said the same thing to me the last time. The last time you told me that you fucked up and slept with Wendy. Look where that led. I can't do this again, Jax. I love you too, but I can't handle the heart ache. It's over." Melanie said. She pulled away from him and shut the door in his face.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: So here's the newest chapter. Check out my profile. I've created a new site for fellow Fan Fiction writers, and Beta homies!**

He hated having to take his time. He was the kind of person that wanted to get things done with quickly, efficiently with no pussy footing around. Plans on top of plans and emergency scenarios where not his style. He'd finished numerous tasks for his boss with no real agenda – just himself and his desired weapon, a 12" blade.

He sat there listening to the jokers that were assigned to the job with him and imagined how they would meet their fates. Car explosion for the asshole with the mohawk. Maybe a gunshot to the head for the chump who though he was king shit, telling everyone how he would go about handling this bitch they were ordered to get rid of.

The table was circled by six men including himself, all members of MAYANS, though from different chapters. He had come to California from Nevada almost a week and half ago and he had seen more of the state than he cared for. He wanted to get back to Nevada and soon.

He pushed himself away from the table and went to the fridge and pulled out a Corona. It was only slightly cold because the damn fridge was shitting the bed but it was still wet and quenched his thirst. Naturally they were all stuck in a house that offered no central air and only floor fans to cool them off. It was a half assed operation and he felt slighted by the shabby conditions he was forced to bunk in.

Did these assholes have any idea who he was? Obviously not, or else they would be showing him the fucking respect that he deserved. Fucking typical of these power hungry kids that thought they were tough shit.

"No fuck that. I say we grab the bitch after she leaves work. It's a dark parking lot. We grab her and then ditch her body just outside town in a visible spot. Don't want to keep that hidden for too long. We want to make our point." He looked at the kid that had made the suggestion. He couldn't be more than 21 and full of piss.

"What's the old man think?" Another suggested. They all turned their attention to him and he sighed.

"The best is to always get them in their home. We go in, do what we have to do and leave her there. You move with the body you have a greater chance of leaving something behind. Quick and easy, one of two guys only." He said.

"Well who are the lucky two and when do we do this?" He looked at the men gathered around him and quickly assessed the person who would be the greatest asset. He pointed to him.

"You and we do this tomorrow night."

* * *

Melanie was tough. She'd been through the heartache before so she was familiar with the steps she needed to take to make herself feel better. She'd cried, she'd talked with Tara, she'd bought a lot of junk food and rented a few of her favorite movies and she bought a dime bag from one of the assholes who sold pot around the corner. She was in the middle of smoking the first joint when the doorbell rang. She coughed and exhaled out the hit she'd just taken and then quickly butted out the joint. She waved the air around her and then checking her eyes in the mirror hanging in the living room she went and opened the door.

Gemma stood there, holding a couple of paper bags filled with groceries. Melanie sighed and felt her eyes welling up again.

"Gemma! What are you doing?" She asked. Gemma smiled and walked past her into the kitchen. She began to unload the contents of each bag into the appropriate areas after quickly inspecting the cabinets to see where everything went.

"I can't have you starving. You got yourself and your mother to feed and you are trying to get yourself back on your feet after the fire. It's nothing much, just a few things I picked up while I was shopping for myself. She pulled out the bottle of wine and Melanie smiled. She walked over to the cabinet that held her glasses and pulled down two for both of them. She took the bottle from Gemma and cracked it open and poured the red wine.

"Sweetie, how are you doing?" Gemma asked. Melanie shrugged her shoulders. She was doing pretty well she thought. She was getting past all the stages she'd been through before pretty quickly.

"Alright, I guess." Melanie responded. She walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. Gemma finished putting things away and grabbing her glass, she joined Melanie.

"Listen. I know you don't want to hear this. I'm not trying to get in your business, but you might want to consider that Emily was fucking with you." Gemma said. Melanie frowned and gave Gemma a look.

"I know Emily and I know what she's capable of. I also know Jax and what he's capable of. I know that he is no saint and we weren't even involved when it happened, but we were…closer and I just don't want to go down that road again. It was a little too familiar to me and well I panicked."

"So…?" Gemma asked. Melanie looked at.

"No. I can't do it. It was a mistake to do it again. I love Jax, will always love him, but I just can't. Do you know what I'm saying?" Melanie asked.

"Well I can't say that I'm happy about it. I mean, you know how much I love you Mel honey. You are like a daughter to me, and I love my boy even if he does stupid shit, but I guess I understand what you are feeling." Gemma conceded.

"Well Gemma, can't say that I remember the last time we've been under the same roof." Melanie turned quickly when she heard her mother speak. Her mother stood in the entrance to the room and Melanie was surprised to see that she'd bothered to take a shower and get cleaned up. She wore a clean set of clothes and her hair was brushed and pulled back.

"Hey Mom, what are you doing up?" Melanie said jumping up. Rachel was not happy to see Gemma sitting at the kitchen table.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Rachel asked Gemma, ignoring Melanie's question. Gemma stood up.

"Just visiting, but unfortunately I can't stay any longer." Gemma turned and headed towards the door and Melanie followed after her, mortified at her mother's rudeness.

"I'm sorry Gemma. I-" Melanie said and was stopped when Gemma turned and smiled.

"Sweetie, that is not a problem. Listen, when you get a chance, come visit me. Okay?" Gemma hugged her and Melanie stood in the doorway watching her leave. If only things were different…

* * *

"Can you come over? I hate to have you come over this late but it's pretty important." Melanie listened to Tara plead over the phone. She would have said no. She'd already changed into her pajamas and was looking forward to relaxing and watching a good chick flick on the television but Tara sounded desperate.

"Sure. Give me a couple of minutes." Melanie said. She hung up and quickly grabbed a pair of jogging pants to put on over the shorts she was wearing. She slipped on some sandals and after making sure that her mother was sleeping, she went out the back door and cut through some yards to get to Tara's house. She lived a couple of streets over and Melanie didn't feel the need to drive such a short distance when she could walk it in less than five minutes.

"Okay you got me here. What's up?" Melanie asked a few minutes later after getting to Tara's and being rushed into the house. Tara looked like a mess and dark circles were prominent under her eyes. Melanie was instantly concerned.

"Did you see anyone out there?" Tara asked. The hair on Melanie's neck stood up.

"What are you talking about? No I didn't see anyone. Who's out there?" Melanie asked. She watched Tara pace back and forth in the large living room. She was biting her nails and occasionally she would peek out the blinds of the front window.

"I thought that by coming back here I was getting away from him that he would leave me alone finally but that didn't work. He followed me here and there's nothing that I can do." Tara finally said. Melanie frowned.

"What? Who followed you? Tara you are freaking me out!" Melanie said. She grabbed Tara by the shoulders to get her to stop and to answer her questions.

"Kohn, this asshole that I met while I was away. We had this relationship that turned…well it wasn't good. I took out a restraining order, but that didn't work. He's ATF for Christ's sake!

"Restraining order…ATF. Jesus Tara, are you sure he's here?" Melanie asked. Tara nodded her head and started pacing again while Melanie dropped to the couch.

"Yes. I ran into him the other day. He's certain that there's this thing with Jax and I, which is ridiculous because well…you know…but he has it in his head that there is. He's even started to follow Jax around and he's the one that brought in ATF to look into SAMCRO." At this Melanie jumped up and cursed.

"Shit! Are you okay? Does Jax know what's going on? What about Clay? Oh God, the last thing we need is ATF all over SAMCRO. Did you go to the police?" Melanie asked. She was instantly on alert. Concern for the boys was something that she would always have. While she didn't know everything that SAMCRO was involved in, she was a total moron. There was certainly a fair amount of illegal shit going on daily.

Melanie had started pacing with Tara but she stopped when her phone starting ringing. She pulled it out of her sweater pocket.

"Next time it's you bitch." The phone went dead and Melanie was left wondering who the hell that was and if it possibly a wrong number. Her phone rang again.

"Hello?" She asked uncertainly. She wasn't sure it was the same asshole who'd just called.

"Melanie! Where the hell are you?" It was the Sheriff. She frowned.

"I'm at Tara's house, why?" She asked.

"There's been an accident. You need to get home right now." He said.

"An accident? Oh God! Is it my mom? Is she okay?" She cried and started running for the door. There was a long pause on the other end of the phone.

"I'm afraid she'd dead."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Sorry it took so long for an update. I've been running a couple different scenarios in my head and finally picked one that I liked, hope you do too!**

It seemed that no matter what someone was there to help her pick up the pieces of her life. Someone had helped her make all the necessary funeral arrangements for her mother. The burial outfit had been picked out while she sat dazed on the bed her mother had slept in. She couldn't stand to be in the house for very long. She began to think of her mother's last moments. How she'd been woken up by the sound the door being kicked in and an in an attempt to fight for her life had broken several bottles and used the phone book to hit whoever had entered the house.

The struggle hadn't lasted too long though. She'd passed out in the bed and the alcohol was still coursing through her system making her attempts at defense futile. She'd been stabbed several times and then her life choked from her and her lifeless body tossed on to the hallway floor like a limp rag doll.

Melanie hugged herself tightly whenever she thought of what had transpired in the house. What had her mother's last thoughts been? Had she called out for her? She must have been scared and the knowledge that she was dying must have been unbearable.

She'd been to the hospital and had seen the body. There had been no need for her to be identified, everyone in town knew who Rachel Michaels was, Melanie had insisted on going to see her, to get one finally look at the woman she'd called mother. Sure she'd been a terrible mother at the end, the alcohol having turned into a horrible person, but no one deserved to die like that.

She cried for what seemed like days. The medication the doctor had prescribed for her to sleep and deal with the anxiety of the situation seemed to have no effect and all she could do was go over the situation repeatedly in her mind, all the details becoming more and more real until she felt as if she was suffocating much like her mother had.

She appreciated everything that town's people were doing to help her. She'd found comfort from so many people that she was overwhelmed with the generosity, but still it was not helping to ease her pain. Life ceased to have importance right now and all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and pray she woke up from the terrible nightmare she was currently in.

* * *

"Melanie, honey, you need to eat something. Let me make you some soup or something, okay?" Melanie shrugged her shoulders at Gemma's offer. Food had no appeal to her right now. Her stomach growled at the mention of it but her mind told her that she might not be able to choke down even something as simple as broth.

She vaguely was aware of Gemma rising from the seated position next to her on the couch and going into the kitchen. Gemma had insisted on Melanie staying at her home and Melanie had welcomed the idea because she couldn't be at her place right now.

"Melanie, come here. Sit down and eat, please." Gemma called. Melanie's body reacted involuntarily and propelled her forward and in to the kitchen. She ran on auto pilot and pulled the chair back and sat down. The smell of the simple vegetable soup made her stomach seize up in anticipation and she began to shovel the nourishment into her mouth. She barely tasted the soup and before she knew it Gemma was refilling the bowl and she was consuming that one as well.

"There, that will make you feel better, sweetie. Here drink some water." The glass was placed in front of her and like the soup, she finished that off.

"What time is the funeral again?" Melanie asked. She'd asked before but she couldn't seem to remember the time.

"At 1:30. Maybe you should get in the shower and start getting ready. Jax and Clay will be here shortly to take us there." Melanie nodded her head and went upstairs to the guest room. Her clothes had been laid out by Gemma. A simple black sleeveless dress that she was sure someone had went and bought because she didn't own one. Black heels and undergarments were laid out for her too. She sighed and then turned to the bathroom attached to the bathroom and stripped down. She turned the faucet on and soon the steam from the scalding hot water was fogging up the bathroom. She pulled back the curtain and stepped underneath the hot spray and closed her eyes. She kept her face under the water for as long as she could hold her breath and then stepped forward. She leaned her head against the tiled wall and tried to cry but the tears were gone. She'd shed so many that she had none left. She punched at the tile instead and then groaned her frustration. It was unfair. Rachel Michaels may have had her many faults but in no way did she deserve the punishment some asshole had doled out.

* * *

Half an hour later she stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her and another towel she was using to dry her hair. She paused when she spotted Jax sitting on the bed. He looked at her with a pained expression on her face. They hadn't spoken much since the night of the murder, but he had been there for her to lean on and it was something she appreciated.

"Hey." She said stopping a few feet from him. He reached his hands out and placed them on her hips and pulled her into the space between his legs. She moved willingly and when he rested his head on her stomach she dropped the towel she had been holding to wrap her hands in the hair on his head.

"Baby, I don't even know what to say. I feel like this is my fault." He said. Melanie frowned. She pushed his head back slightly and gave him a questioning look.

"What do you mean 'your fault'? Did you do that to her? No. Then it's not your fault." She said. Jax looked down at the floor.

"It's because of what you are to me. They used that. They meant to hurt you and instead they got your mother. This is because of me." He said. He was referring to the MAYANS. Melanie was aware that several of the guys who had staged the attack had been arrested and were currently in jail. She knew also that the attack was planned to be on her but she'd been called away to Tara's house and unfortunately her mother had become the victim. She remembered the chilling phone call she'd received. She pushed that out of her head and shook it.

"Jax, I could never blame you for this. This is not your fault. Those fucking assholes will get what they deserve and…because you love me, you will exact revenge on those fuckers." Jax's head jerked up when he heard the last part. Revenge.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You know what I mean. I want them all to die, Jax, and you will do it for me. Please?" She whispered.

"Baby, you don't need to worry about anything. You just get through this. I will take care of you. Always." Jax said.

"Promise me. Promise me that they will pay." Melanie pleaded. Jax stood up and placed his hand under her chin tilting her face up to him. There was nothing but pain in her eyes and it was more than he could bear.

"I promise you." He placed his lips over hers. It was a tender kiss. There was no passion because it was the last thing that she needed right now. It was kiss that also held the promise – sealed with a kiss flashed through her mind and she found solace in that thought.

* * *

The funeral was simple and for lack of a better word – nice. It seemed like the whole town was in attendance and that pleased Melanie. The Eulogy had been given by Clay because there was no one else that could best put into words Rachel Michaels, aside from Melanie and she was up to that task.

A buffet get together was then held at the Recreation Center because it was the largest venue in the town. Melanie stood by the door greeting everyone that came in and received more hugs than she thought possible. She listened half heartedly to the comments people made about her mother and she couldn't help by wonder why they seemed to have nothing but nice things to say but had never been there to help her when her mother was suffering from the debilitating disease of alcoholism.

She was more than relieved when the whole affair was over and Jax was driving her back to Gemma's house.

"I don't want to be alone tonight. Will you stay with me?" Melanie asked when he pulled into the driveway.

"Sure, I'll stay with you." He said and they walked into the house together. Gemma and Clay were not home yet. They had stayed behind to oversee the clean up. Melanie led the way up the stairs to the room she stayed in.

They shared no words as she undressed and slid into the bed in just her underwear. She watched with hooded eyes as Jax undressed and climbed in after her. He clicked off the light and pulled her closer to him. He held her there, running his hand up and down her arm for quite awhile before she turned to him. She placed a hand on his chest and slowly ran it up to his jaw line. She traced his jaw and then slowly continued down his chest. She reached the waist band of his boxers and paused. His breathing had increased. She looked up at him and in the faint light she watched him lick his lips.

"What are you doing, Mel?" He asked. He brought his hand down and grabbed the hand she had resting on his abs. He linked her fingers with his and lifted their joined hands.

"I want to be with you Jax." She said softly.

"You are with me. I'm right here, baby." Melanie rolled her eyes.

"No… I mean…be with you." She said and to make sure point she pushed self closer to him and lifted her leg to rest on his hip. She pushed him slightly and he ended up on his back and she promptly straddled his waist.

"Melanie, are you sure you want to do this?" He asked, bringing his hands and to rub along her sides. She nodded and then brought her face down to his and kissed him. It was slow and leisure at first, their tongue teasing and coaxing reactions. Then it began to heat up and they dueled for control of the kiss. Melanie fought hard but in the end she relinquished control. It was how she liked it and Jax as well. She liked to have him control her, make her body react to his desires as he wanted.

Jax flipped them and grabbed both of her hands effectively pinning them above her head with one of his. He glanced down her body, running his free hand over the areas that his eyes saw. Her back arched as he cupped her breast and worked the nipple into a hard peak. She wrapped her legs around his hips and pressed her center against him, rubbing herself against him. She felt him, hard and more than ready.

"Please…" She whispered. He chuckled softly and brought his hand down her stomach. He reached the top of her panties and tugged them down. His fingers pushed their way between her legs and he groaned when he found her hot and wet.

"God…you are so wet." He whispered. "You want me to fuck you?" He asked. Melanie felt the question in her stomach. She nodded her head. "Say it." He urged, working his fingers into her and causing her to cry out.

"Please…fuck me." She cried lifting her hips against his magically fingers. He worked his fingers in her for a few more minutes before taking them and quickly pushing his boxers down his hips. He pushed into her quickly and they both moaned at the sensation.

"I love you." Melanie cried out.

"I love you too." He replied and pushed himself up slightly beginning to thrust into her. They exchanged no more words, just the guttural noises of pleasure. The tempo increased when they both felt the familiar tightening of the impending orgasm. Jax pulled out of her and then flipped her over on her stomach. He pulled at her hips, bringing them up to meet his as he entered her from behind. It didn't last much longer, this position being so good for the both of them. Melanie began to cry out loudly and Jax pressed in harder. When she climaxed it drew him over the edge and he pumped into her several more times before he slumped over her back breathing heavily.

Melanie sighed and when Jax rolled on to his side, she cuddled against him. She hadn't intended to do this with him, but she felt she needed it, something to get her mind off the events of the past few days.

"So what does this mean?" Jax asked wrapped his arms around her. Melanie looked up at him. She wasn't sure what it meant but she knew she needed to figure it out.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for the reviews. I think that I've finally got a handle on this story and things are going pretty smoothly now. Hope you are enjoying it as much as I am!**

It was confusing the say the least. He wasn't sure how to take things with Melanie now. He wasn't sure why she had slept with him. Several different possibilities ran through his head. She'd been upset about the death of her mother, or she was hoping to maybe rekindle the relationship that had gone sour for the second time or maybe it because she wanted to make sure that he would do as she requested. To make sure that he exacted the revenge on the MAYANS that she asked for.

She didn't need to sleep with him to ensure that he would do that. He had already planned on fucking up those assholes. No one fucked with family and no matter what, Melanie was family. The MAYANS had gone too far this time.

He lay in the bed idly running his hand up and down her bare arm. She was still sleeping peacefully. It was the best thing for her. According to his mother she'd not really been sleeping and he could already see the signs of sleep deprivation and malnutrition affecting her physically. He continued to look at her and he was sure that he couldn't love anyone as much as he loved her.

He heard the tell-tale noise of his mother and Clay returning back to the house and he carefully extricated himself from Melanie's arms and slipped on the pants and shirt he had worn to the funeral. He padded downstairs bare foot to meet them as they walked into the living room.

"Jesus! Jax, what are you doing here?" Gemma asked surprised at seeing him coming down the stairs.

"I stayed with Melanie. She's sleeping." Jax replied. Gemma didn't need to know more. She could now see that he'd obviously had a big part in her sleeping.

"How is she? Did she say anything?" Clay asked. Jax stuck his hands into the pockets of his pants and nodded.

"She wants me to get revenge for her mother's death. She made me promise." He said. Gemma raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of revenge are you planning?" She asked. She didn't normally get too involved in what the boys of SAMCRO discussed but this was Melanie they were talking about.

"The murdering kind is what she has in mind. She wants those fuckers to pay and so do I." Jax responded. Clay nodded his head.

"Well the MAYANS are in hiding since they fucked up the hit on her. They know that shit's gonna be coming down hard on them. We got a couple of the other clubs keeping their eyes peeled for any activity." Clay said. Jax nodded his head and sat on the couch where Gemma had already sat. Clay sat on the recliner and slapped his hands down on his knees.

"I still can't believe this. It's just so unreal." Gemma commented. "Those assholes will pay dearly."

"Ma, I think Melanie needs to be with someone at all times. I know that the MAYANS aren't nearby but we need to make sure that she's safe. They aren't going to let this shit slide. They were sent to kill her and they didn't get that accomplished." Jax said.

"They got three of the fuckers in jail right now, but if you ask me there had to another. Someone that planned the shit that went down. Those fucking clowns are too young and stupid to plan out something like that." Clay said.

"We need to find that guy. He'll be the one to come back and try to finish shit and I can't let that happen. Not to Melanie and sure as hell not to anyone else." Jax said.

"We'll find him and we'll make him pay." Clay said.

* * *

It had all gone wrong and he wasn't all that surprised. Those young punks had gotten careless and they hadn't made sure she was there. They had gone in guns blazing and fucked everything up. The mother was only one in the house and she'd been a fucking hellion. He looked at the long jagged cut she'd managed to give him from the broken Vodka bottle before he had punched her and effectively knocked her unconscious.

He had planned on simply doing her and leaving but then those idiots had decided to have some fun. They'd tortured her for a little bit, stabbing her repeatedly, choking her until she was unconscious and then finally finishing the job.

He was a hired killer, but he was not one that enjoyed torturing the target. Get the job over and collect the money, that was his routine. Those idiots had been so unorganized that they'd left behind clues to their identity and had been picked up before they could even leave the area to hide out. Served them right, stupid asses.

He'd made it to a dive motel on the interstate and then proceeded north. He was going to lay low for a little while and then finish the job. He'd called his boss and after a heated discussion, he'd promised that the hit would be cared out as ordered but it would take a little bit of time. He was certain the SAMCRO boys would be looking for him and anyone else associated with the MAYANS.

He lay on the bed of the cheap motel he had found and flipped through the channels. There was nothing to watch on daytime television and he gave up, flipping the t.v. off and tossing the remote to the end of the bed. He sat up and stretched his aching muscles. He needed something to do to waste time until he could get back to Charming. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and grabbing his wallet and keys he walked out of the room to his bike.

* * *

Melanie had been awake when Jax had gotten up and went down stairs. She had lain in bed and mentally kicked herself what had just transpired. Had she really wanted to start things back up with Jax? Had she only slept with him because it was an easy way to deal the pain she was feeling? She sat up and shook her head trying to gain some rational thought but that didn't seem to be working.

She threw back the covers and went into the bathroom. A few minutes later she was standing underneath the spray still struggling to come up with an answer that she wasn't sure of. There were so many ways she could go. Fuck and forget but she wasn't like that. She couldn't just sleep with Jax, experiencing all those raw emotions, and then just end it. She could start the relationship up again and potentially get hurt again…or she could just…pretend like nothing happened.

She quickly washed herself and got out of the shower. She walked back into the room toweling off and then threw on some pajamas. She ventured out of the bedroom quietly. She crept along the upstairs hallway to the top of the stairs and listened to the conversation that was being held below. She heard them speaking of the MAYANS and them being in hiding and then felt her heart swell a little at the vehement way that Jax spoke. He would make sure that this was avenged and she was thankful for that.

She decided to make her presence know and made shuffling noises and walked down the stairs. Jax jumped up from the couch and met her at the bottom of the stairs.

"You okay, baby? You need anything?" He asked putting his hands on her hips and looking at her like she would break down at any minute. It was then that she resolved to no longer grieve but to be stronger, to make right the wrong that she suffered.

"I'm fine. I just wanted to say thank you. To all of you, you've really been there for me and I just wanted to tell that I love you all and appreciate everything that you've done for me." Melanie said.

"Oh Melanie honey, we love you and you don't need to thank us. We are a family, it's what families do." Gemma said, getting up and hugging her tightly to her. Melanie smiled and hugged Gemma back tightly.

"Thanks. Um…do you happen to have anything to eat?" Gemma laughed.

"Of course I do. Come on." She said, grabbing her hand. Melanie let herself be dragged but not before looking back at Jax and smiling at him.

* * *

The bar was dark and held few people. The regular drunks that spent all their time there and a couple of employees. He walked up to the bar and dropping a pack of smokes and a lighter on the counter, he settled onto a worn stool.

"Tequila and Corona." He ordered. The bartender nodded and went to getting him the drinks. He looked around the place once more and satisfied that he was in no danger he, he relaxed…slightly.

"$8.50." He threw down a twenty and grabbed the shot of Tequila. He made quick work on it and slammed the shot glass on the bar and chased the hard liquor down with a deep swallow of beer.

A basketball game was playing on the television hanging from the corner and his attention was there otherwise he would have seen the older man sitting at the table in the back covertly checking him out. After a few minutes the older man rose from the seat he sat at and made his way to the restroom. Once inside he locked the door and pulled out his cell phone.

"Yeah, you mentioned you were looking for a Mexican, right? Affiliated with the MAYANS?" He paused as he listened to the voice on the other end. "Well I think you found your asshole." He paused again and then nodded. He gave the location he was at and then ended the call.

The arms of SAMCRO were far stretching and even in New Mexico you were never out of their sight.

* * *

Melanie was laying in the bed after filling her belly with more food than she'd thought she was capable of eating. Gemma had made sure that she'd made up for the past few days of no food. She looked at the door when it opened and Jax came in. He shut it behind him and then came to lay on the bed beside her. They lay there in silence for a few minutes for they both spoke at the same time.

"So about-"

"What exactly-"

They laughed and Jax motioned for her to go ahead. Melanie cleared her throat and sat up on the bed to face him. Taking her lead, he sat up too.

"So...about what happened earlier. I know that I had told you that things were over with us, and at the time I really meant them. But things have changed and well...I've come to realize how important you are in my life. I don't want to loose you either. I can't-" Melanie paused and looked down at her hands which were currently twisting the bed sheet. "I can't be without you Jax. I want you. Always." She said. She finished and held her breath waiting for him to speak.

She gasped when Jax grabbed her and hauled into his lap, crushing her to his chest. She started to laugh when he began to shower kisses all over her face.

"You had me fucking wondering what the deal was. Thank God it was this and not just a fuck to get me to do your bidding." Jax said. Melanie pulled back from him puzzled. Realization crept in over her face. He'd thought she'd slept with him so he would do as she asked. She rolled her eyes.

"Jax, you ass. Do you think I would do something like that? Seriously?" She punched him in the arm.

"No...but I was wondering." He kissed her lips and smiled. "I can't be without you either. I don't want to loose you." He said and hugged her tighter. "If anything were to happen to you I would go fucking insane." He said.

They remained that way, holding each other and kissing each other tenderly before Melanie yawned. Jax pushed her back on to the bed and pulled the covers over her.

"Don't leave. Stay." She whispered. He nodded and stripped down to his boxers and climbed in next to her. They fell asleep holding each other tightly and unaware of the phone call that was being placed to Clay at that particular moment.


	15. Chapter 15

_**I am so sorry for the delay everyone! Life sometimes has this way of completely taking control and you loose all track of things. I thank you though for your patience with my slow updating and I will try to get better on it!**_

He was handcuffed to a metal chair in the middle of the abandoned warehouse. He'd definitely been worked over by the guys – the tickles of blood around his swollen eyes and fat lip an obvious giveaway. He was slumped forward probably unconscious or close to it.

He wasn't a recognized member, meaning Jax hadn't seen him before but that was probably because they had outsourced. The other assholes who had been involved in the murder had already been caught and taken care of. They were worthless young pricks who were looking for a handout, something that would get them in good with the MAYANS. The only thing it had accomplished was their demise.

Jax threw down the cigarette he'd been smoking and took steps necessary to put him directly in front of this one – the 'mastermind' if you will – the one who'd been in charge of the hit. He felt his blood boil and rage had him curling his hands into fists and imagining slamming them into the fucker's head.

"What's he said?" Clay asked from Jax's right. He'd arrived with Jax moments before and both were assessing the situation.

"A whole lot of fucking nothing, worthless piece of shit that he is." Tig answered and spit at him.

"He's been speaking in only Spanish, but nothing we want to hear. His name is Ramon." Juice offered.

"Ask him who ordered the hit." Clay said.

"¿Quién ordenó el golpe?" Juice asked.

"Crecí en un pueblo pequeño con mi abuela." Ramon answered softly. Jax looked to Juice for the translation.

"He said he grew up in a small town with his grandmother. Whatever that means." Juice said.

"Fuck this. He ain't gonna talk." Jax said and pulled his gun. He took a step back and pointed the barrel at the man's head. He cocked the gun and glared at the man, almost wishing he would say something at that moment. When the man only raised his head and smiled slightly, Jax pulled the trigger and the bullet pierced the man's temple.

Normally Jax felt a certain emotion wash over him when he killed. The only emotion that washed over him was happiness and still some residual anger. The person who'd been responsible for the hit was still out there. Was it the MAYANS or just someone using the MAYANS to do their dirty work?

"Get rid of the body and meet back at the clubhouse." Clay said and turned and walked away.

* * *

Melanie stood in the kitchen of Gemma and Clay's house and poured herself a glass of water. She stood at the kitchen sink staring out the window. It was late afternoon and the sun was slowly beginning to set. It was still bright though and kids were running around in the street playing whatever game that interested them. It looked to some form of 'war' because they were ducking behind cars and pretending to shoot with imaginary guns.

She'd not seen Jax at all. He'd left the house before she had woken up. Gemma was the only one there and she had eventually left heading to the Garage for work. She'd told Melanie to make herself comfortable and to relax, not to worry about anything. She'd spent the first part of the morning flipping through channels on the television but there was only mindless programming and it soon bored her. She'd gone upstairs and had a bubble bath and relaxed in the tub until the water had turned cold and then after that sat in the room thinking about the recent events.

She wondered where Jax had gone off too. Had they found the ones responsible for her mother's murder? Clay had been missing too and Gemma had dodged her questions this morning so it only made her think that something had happened.

She took another sip of the water and then poured it out in the sink. She decided to go outside and watch the kids since there was nothing else to do. She didn't have to work because her boss has insisted she take time off even though she'd protested.

She sat on the front steps and leaned her elbows back on the step above closing her eyes and listening to the sounds outside. The kids yelling, a dog barking and some traffic on the surrounding streets – it was all somehow peaceful to her. The rumble of a motorcycle had her sitting up and looking.

"Hey sexy." Jax said after he had parked the bike and pulled off his helmet. He strolled up the walkway to her and stopped at the foot of the steps. He has a smile on his face but it didn't seem to reach his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Melanie asked, sitting up and looking up at him. He turned his head and looked down the street for a moment.

"We found 'em." Jax said finally looking back at her. From the tightness of his face she didn't need to ask what they had done with them she knew. Part of her wanted to be outraged, because murder was murder but that feeling was quickly trampled down by the other part of her that was happy they were dead. They deserved to die.

She stood up and wrapped her arms around Jax's waist. They were at the same level because she was standing on the step above him and she leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. His arms came around her and they held each other for a few moments before she lifted her head and kissed him briefly on his lips.

* * *

She arched her back when his hands came up and wrapped firmly around her neck. The pressure was adding to the effects of pending orgasm. Each thrust pushing her further and further over. She gasped as particular thrust hit just the right spot.

"Did you like that?" Jax breathed out. He was sweaty, breathless and completely gorgeous. She nodded her answered and when he stopped she screamed it out.

"Yes!" She wrapped her legs tighter around his hips and using her feet tried to get him to thrust harder into her. He withdrew his hands from around her neck and clasped them to her hips, digging his fingers into her flesh. He hammered into her, his tempo becoming more and more frenzied. It became too much for Melanie and she screamed, her orgasm ripping through her.

"Fucking hell! God that feels-" Jax groaned loudly, pumped into her a few more times and then collapsed on her. They lay there breathing loudly placing small kisses on flesh they came in contact with before Jax managed to roll over onto his back next to her. Melanie sighed and closed her eyes, her breathing still not slowing.

"Gemma and Clay are gonna kick you out with all that screaming you do." Jax joked. Melanie pinched his arm and rolled to her side to look at him.

"Ass. You are the reason I am screaming like that." She arched an eyebrow at him and licked his lips.

"Stroking my ego, huh?" Jax asked. Melanie smiled.

"That's not all I can stroke." Jax growled and rolled on top of her bracing himself above her with his arms.

"You have a dirty little mind, girl." He said looking down at her. Melanie placed her hands on his chest and slowly moved them around.

"You made me that way." She replied. She leaned up and drew him to a kiss. They kissed for several moments and then parted. Melanie raised her hands up to cup Jax's face and ran a thumb over his bottom lip.

"I love you." Melanie whispered. Jax smiled and captured her lips.

"Get in the shower so we can go see the baby or I may take up on the stroking." Jax said, pushing off her. Melanie laughed and rolled off the bed heading to the shower.

"You could always join me in the shower and I could show you how well I stroke." She turned with a squeak when Jax came running after her.

* * *

"I want this shit handled and handled now!" He screamed at those gathered around him. His bald head was shiny underneath the outside light of the building.

"Boss I know a guy-"

"Shut the fuck up! I've had enough of you assholes telling me about 'a guy'. Obviously they can't handle it. Get it done yourselves and if you can't do that then maybe I need to fucking change things up here." He turned his back and sauntered off.

The others stood around looking at each other.

"Okay so who wants to do it this time?"


	16. Chapter 16

Abel was still in the incubator with tubes running into him from it seemed every possible place. Melanie could only look at how tiny and helpless he was and feel a tug at her heart and then a deep burning resentment towards Wendy. She'd fucked this kid up because she was a junkie. She'd kept the kid because she had thought it would keep Jax with her.

Melanie again realized just how much she never wanted to have children. She thought they were great, loved to see them and hold them and smell how precious they were, but in the end she was always happy to give the kid back to his or her parents.

She looked over at Jax and watched him. He was looking down at Abel with such love in his face it brought a smile to her own. He was clearly in love with the little fella and that was sweet. It meant that Jax was not as heartless as most people assumed he was because he was SAMCRO. He was capable of compassion and love. She knew that.

"He is so little. What's Tara say about him leaving? How long does he have to stay here?" Melanie asked.

"A few months for sure here in the hospital, probably a few more weeks in the incubator then he can be transferred to a different room here in the NICU. He has a long road for recovery still. He's completely out of the woods yet but it's certainly better than before." Jax said. Melanie nodded and reached down and entwined her fingers with his. He looked over at her and smiled.

"Tara's good at what she does. She'll make sure everything is fine with him." Melanie said.

"I know. I'm glad to see her back here in Charming." He said and turned back to look at Abel.

* * *

"What do we know about Melanie's hit?" Gemma asked, rubbing Clay's shoulders. They sat in the living room, her behind him on the couch giving him a massage. Clay had his head resting in his hands and when Gemma asked the question, he looked up, looking at the television but not seeing what was playing.

"Nothing. We got nothing from any of the fuckers that were involved. I bet my left nut that it was MAYANS and NORDS since they are in bed together. I just don't know which of those assholes ordered it." Clay answered. Gemma frowned.

"Retaliation for the guns?" Gemma asked and Clay nodded his head. He groaned when she hit one particularly tense spot and sighed when she worked the muscle loose.

"You know how I feel about Melanie. You feel the same way too. She and Jax are together now and I don't want nothing fucking that up. I'm glad you got those assholes but are you sure you want to take on both the MAYANS and the NORDS at the same time?" Gemma asked. Clay shifted slightly and turned his head to look at her.

"What are you saying?" He asked.

"Well I just don't think it would be wise to start this huge war when we are at this uncertain point. Can we handle taking them on?" Gemma asked.

Clay raised an eyebrow and looked at her. Gemma returned the look with one of her own and they remained that way for several moments before Clay answered.

"SAMCRO doesn't back down from nothing and no one. Those pieces of shit have messed with the wrong MC and yes…we can take them on. We have plenty of contacts and SAMCRO is far stretching. You don't worry about that shit." Clay rose from the couch and stalked off to the kitchen for a beer. Gemma rolled her eyes and then followed him.

"Baby…don't get mad. I was just asking. I don't want anything to happen to you or the rest of the boys." Gemma said wrapping her arms around Clay's middle and pressing herself against his back. He stood in front of the open fridge drinking from the bottle of beer. After a long gulp he lowered the bottle and turned to face Gemma.

"Nothing is gonna happen to me or the boys. Now enough fucking talking and get your ass upstairs. I need you to focus your attentions to a hard matter of mine. You certainly seem to have a talent with your hands…and opening your mouth." Clay said and smacking her ass he led her out of the room.

* * *

Melanie and Jax rode up to the house later that night. They'd gone for a ride and Melanie was smiling brightly. She loved to go for rides on the bike. Feeling the bike underneath her rumbling, feeling the wind rush past her and the chance to press herself up against the back of Jax was certainly another high point to the experience.

"You staying here tonight or going back to the clubhouse?" Melanie asked pulling the helmet off her head. Jax pulled his off and looked over at her.

"I gotta meet up with the guys and take care of some business. How about I come by later?" Jax said. Melanie smiled and nodded. She rounded the bike and wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned in and licked his lip then teased him by pulling on his lower lip gently with her own. She laughed when his hands came down and cupped her ass.

"You are insatiable." He said and captured her mouth in a kiss. They stood there, kissing and touching each other for several moments before Jax reluctantly let go and took a step back.

"Damn woman. You are gonna kill me." Melanie laughed and turned to the house.

"I'll wait up." She said over her shoulder and walked up the steps and into the house. Jax stood there for several minutes smiling and shaking his head. He still could not believe that he was back with Melanie and things were going as well as they were. Chuckling he put his helmet back on and straddled the bike, turning it on, letting it roar to life. Kicking off, he rode off down the road toward the clubhouse.

* * *

"So what's the deal with this ATF asshole? Why's he after Tara and why is he making our life miserable?" Tigs asked. They were all seated around the table in the Chapel. A cloud of smoke was surrounding everyone's head and no one looked pleased.

"Tara told Melanie about the RO she had put out on this guy. Hale has decided to work with us on this one and is trying to track down some information on this prick. Meanwhile we have that other ATF bitch here and causing shit. We are not in a good place right now." Jax said. Clay nodded his head, as did the others. They were trying to get the $200k for McKeavy and trying to run the guns to a secure location and it was not going well.

"The priorities are getting those guns outta here and getting Micheal his $200k. ATF be damned but they will be on us like white on rice, lads." Chibs threw out there.

"Figure it out, boys. We need this shit to run as smoothly as possible. I don't want to get screwed on this." Clay announced and everyone looked around the table to see if there was a solution readily available. When no one spoke up immediately, Jax turned to Clay.

"We'll figure it out. I'll find a way to get the guns out of here, you handle the cash." He told Clay. Clay nodded and then picking up the hammer he brought it down, adjourning the meeting. Everyone pushed away from the table leaving Clay and Jax sitting there.

"I know that things are still up in the air, that your personal life is throwing you some curves, but I need to know that you are with us. " Clay said. Jax looked down at the table.

"Yeah I am." Jax answered simply and that was all Clay wanted to hear. He looked at Jax briefly before standing and walking out of the room.

* * *

Melanie was straddling Jax's backside while he lay bare-chested on the bed. The Sons tattoo covering the majority of his back stood out against his flesh. She was giving him a back massage and listening to him talk about the visit with Abel earlier.

"They are talking about letting him out of the cooker in a little while. It'll be awesome to hold him." Jax said. Melanie smiled because he was obviously a proud daddy. It was nice to hear the excitement in his voice. It made her miss her father – she'd been such a daddy's girl.

"I'm happy to hear that. Not to rain on your happiness parade, but did you mention the problem with Tara at Church?" Melanie asked, referring to the meeting he'd been at with the rest of SAMCRO.

"Yeah and it's gonna get handled." Jax answered. Melanie knew better to ask anymore because it had now become SAMCRO business and SAMCRO business was not discussed with 'civilians', which she was considered since she didn't wear the cut and she wasn't considered an 'old lady' yet.

"Tara mentioned that Wendy was going to rehab…again." Melanie mentioned and instantly regretted it when she felt Jax's back tense up. Her hands stilled when he shifted slightly so that he could look over his shoulder at her.

"Yeah, she's going to rehab. She wants to get clean, for the baby. That doesn't affect us though." Melanie smiled but she didn't feel it in her heart.

"I just thought…well I don't know what I thought. Maybe just making conversation." Melanie said. She shrieked when Jax managed to flip their positions and had her laying underneath him.

"Making conversation, huh? Weak." He said. He was smiling down at her. Melanie laughed. She pinched his bicep and he began to tickle her mercilessly. The playing soon stopped and they began to make out. Melanie arched into his kisses, loving the way that his tongue invaded her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair, lightly tugging on it. He drew back slightly and they smiled at each other.

The knock at the door had them both looking at it and Jax called out for the person to enter. Gemma walked through the door and stood there with a smirk on her face.

"You two think you could come up air anytime soon and visit with me? I'll be downstairs." With that she walked out leaving the door open as a sign to get their asses moving and they heard her walking down the stairs.

"Did you just get a déjà vu moment?" Jax asked turning back to Melanie and she nodded.

"That was creepy – it was like we were teenagers all over again."

* * *

_**A/N: So I went out and purchased the first season of SOA because I needed to refresh my memory on a lot of things. I think I spent more of my time looking at Jax than really appreciating the plot of the series. Anyway – I've decided to keep it tied pretty closely to the series with the obvious changes. I really don't like Tara – let me say that again – I really don't like Tara and I HATE that he even wants to sleep with her. Do her eyebrows annoy anyone else?? Anyway, thanks for the patience and for the love! I am also going to be working on some serious editing of the previous chapters! I spent some time rereading what I had published already and I am pretty embarrassed! It was full of so many mistakes and I am a total nut about things. ~Inked4Life.**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**At Long Last!**_

By all appearances things in Charming were just that…Charming. It was quiet and people were performing their daily tasks with no issues. Melanie was far from happy. There seemed to be no progress yet in finding out who had murdered her mother and she wanted that dealt with immediately. She'd approached Jax on it a number of times and each time he told her that it was being handled. She failed to see just how it was being handled and as each day passed she became more and more pissed.

She was coming down the stairs on a morning when it was in the fore front of her mind and she spied Clay in the kitchen talking with Gemma. She marched up to him and crossed her arms over her chest. Clay and Gemma stopped talking and looked at her puzzled.

"What's up honey?" Gemma asked. Melanie took a breath and then replied.

"Why aren't you looking for who killed my mother?" She asked point blank. Clay glanced at Gemma and then turned his body towards Melanie. He'd known she would approach him about his sooner or later, wanting the answers that he wasn't ready to give her.

"Baby, we are still looking. We have a couple of leads but they aren't solid yet." Melanie rolled her eyes and grunted.

"Nothing. You've found nothing? In all the special ways that you 'ask' people what's the truth, no one has been able to give you anything?" Melanie asked, the annoyance clearly expressed in her words.

"We know the MC involved but it looks like it has more to it…I don't want to get into the details with you yet until I know for sure." Clay said, raising his voice, wanting her to know that the subject was closed. Naturally Melanie wasn't finished.

"What details? What 'more' do you mean?" She asked, pressing him for information. Clay sighed and put his hands on his hips. He looked down at the kitchen floor for a moment, choosing his words carefully.

"This was something contracted on you. And because it was contracted on you, it was supposed to affect Jax an in that, it was against SAMCRO to get us to retaliate and start a war. Maybe to get us all killed or locked up so that…so that another MC could take over Charming. Now we know it was the MAYANS who did the attack but it looks like the NORDS were in on the contract in some way. We need to get everything clear before we can handle this. I don't want you involved in this Melanie. You are not to be tainted by this. I do want you to know that we got the fuckers that did this to your mom. Now we just need to get the ones that ordered the contract."

Melanie listened to everything Clay said and while she felt a sense of relief, she still was not completely satisfied. She knew that she would have to just accept this for now and hope that this matter would be dealt with soon. She didn't want to think about how the assholes had been dealt with she was just happy that they had been. An eye for an eye, wasn't that the saying?

"Okay. Thank you Clay." She said and with that she turned and headed for the door. She needed to get out and clear her head.

* * *

Melanie had jumped in her car and drive off. She had no real destination in mind so when she came to the City Limits, she pulled off onto the dirt access road and drove till she came to a clearing. It was site for a transformer but she and Jax had spent a lot of their teenage years in this little area. She got out of the car and moved around the front of it to prop herself up against the hood.

The clearing was quiet, a fenced off area in the far Northern corner held the transformer and tall trees helped to hide its place and provide a small picnic area for families or travelers. There were a few picnic tables scattered about and some black grills cemented in to the ground for people to use. Landscapers had taken advantage of the pretty location and scattered beautiful flowers all along the perimeter and at various locations in the center.

Melanie was sitting there, breathing in the fresh air when her phone started chirping, interrupting her private moment. She pulled it out and looked at the screen to see who was calling.

"Hey." She said.

"Where are you?" Jax asked. He had called over to the house and when he was told what had happened he wanted to make sure things were okay.

"Out at the picnic area, I needed to get out and clear my head." Melanie answered.

"Do you want me to come out there?" He asked. He was pretty sure of the answer, so when Melanie told him no, he wasn't surprised.

"I just want this whole nightmare to be ov-" She was cut off when the blackness covered her. The cloth was pulled tight and she was pulled back against a large body. The cell phone dropped to the ground and she began to kick and fight to get away. She screamed out when the hold on her tightened and she tried to claw the arms surrounding her to avail.

"Shut the fuck up bitch or we do this the hard way." The voice whispered into her ear. She settled down slightly but still resisted when he dragged her back. She only prayed that Jax was already on his way. How long would it take him to get there? He was on the other side of the town and a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach made her think that he wouldn't get there in time.

When she was picked up and thrown over her assailants shoulder she tried again to fight him and struggle away but he locked his arms around her legs. She felt him begin to walk and a short distance later she heard a door slide open – was it a van? Why had she not heard it pull up?

She cried out in pain when he threw on the floor of the vehicle and then felt the vehicle shift as he jumped in and then slide the door shut.

"Go." He said and another person, the driver, started up the van and then drove down the dirt road in a shower of dirt and rocks. Melanie felt the fear wash over her and seem to momentarily paralyze her. Where were they taking her and what did they have planned? She couldn't tell from the voices who they were – MAYANS or NORDS. They only grunted one word responses and requests to each other but after a few moments she realized there was about four of them in the van with her. Several times a hand came down on her thigh to hold her down and she froze and gasped thinking that was the moment they were going to begin to rape her. She kept her eyes pinched closed beneath the black hood cinched around her head and prayed that either she would lose consciousness before that happened or that Jax would show up. The thought to try and figure out the destination flashed through her mind, much like those Lifetime movies, but she had never had a good sense of direction and with her visual senses impaired she couldn't tell which direction she was headed. There was no telltale indication coming from outside the vehicle to let her know where she was. Besides, what was that going to do to improve her situation? She didn't have her cell phone and she doubted that these thugs would give her the opportunity to get within reach of one. She could only wait and pray.

* * *

Jax had indeed took off with Tig and Bobby following close and Chibs running to let Clay know the situation to get the others involved. This was something that Jax and Clay had been afraid of but with nothing having happened they let their guard down and know Melanie had been taken and who the hell knew where the hell she was.

Jax wasn't sure what to do but he sped to the picnic area. He found her car and the dropped cell phone. There was indication that a vehicle had sped out and the guys were pretty sure it was a van. They hadn't passed one, so it had obviously gone in another direction. First priority was to figure where.

Jax's phone went off and without looking at the caller id he answered. He froze on his approach to his bike and Bobby and Tig halted around him, pretty sure they knew who was on the other end.

"Seems your girlfriend is in a spot of trouble." Marcus Alvarez said over the phone. Jaz's blood ran cold recognizing the voice.

"You mother fuck-"

"I think maybe you should be just a little bit more respectful, especially since you wouldn't anything bad to happen to this fine looking woman." Marcus said. Marcus sat on a folding chair in the middle of an abandoned warehouse. The object of his conversation was seated in a similar chair across from him with a black hood over her head and her hands tied behind her back. He smiled at the rapid rise and fall of her chest indicating her fear. Fear was exactly what he wanted.

"If you touch her I will fucking kill you." Jax said lowly into the phone. Tig cursed and shook his head. He looked at Bobby and Bobby had the same expression on his face.

"I will do more than touch her if my demands aren't met, do you understand me? I'll call you later to let you know where we can meet. I want Clay there and yourself and that's it. No one else." With that he flipped the cell phone closed and tossed it onto the card table near him. Let the hot headed kid sweat it out a little. He rose from his chair and approached the girl. He circled her, dragging his hand along her exposed arms and chest. The tank top she was wearing offering a view of what she had to offer.

"You better hope your boyfriend cooperates, _chica_. If he don't then the boys are gonna have all kinds of fun with you." Melanie shivered and started to sob. Marcus laughed and looked over at one of the men.

"Watch her, but don't touch. Not yet at least." Marcus said, and headed towards the exit. The goon nodded at Marcus' request and moved closer. Of course, Marcus wouldn't see everything that happened, so why not have a little fun, right? He sneered as he neared Melanie.

"Let's see what's so special about you…" He said


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: GRRRR So I had some difficulty writing this chapter. This chapter deals with emotions one might feel if they thought they might be raped. No rape occurs because I just don't think I could stomach writing about something so horrible. (And I know for sure that if a rape victim happened to be reading this, the last thing she would like to read is about it.) Also it was hard to really get into this chapter because of the all the 'violence' associated with these 'criminals'. I'm not a violent person so it's hard for me to write it out. I am sorry for the let down. Please let me know if there's something I should differently with this chapter and I will be more than happy to re-write, or if one of you brace souls wants to take on that challenge, let me know!! **_

_**Thanks!**_

_**~Inked  
**_

So this is what rape victims felt moments before it actually happened. This cold feeling washing over you and then you start to 'hide' inside your mind. You are aware of what is happening, you are trying to fight it off, possibly even screaming-begging the attacker to stop but it all seems like so horrible movie you are watching. It's you but not really.

When the man had approached her and began to roughly fondle Melanie, she found herself almost sheltering herself inside her mind. By seeing this horrific event in 'movie form' maybe it wouldn't seem as real and afterward she could almost block it.

Of course it didn't happen like that. The pain he began to inflict upon her by roughing mauling her breasts jerked her from the corner she was hiding in.

"You fucking asshole! So tough raping a bound woman!!" Melanie screamed and attempted to push away from his hands.

"Shut up bitch." He said and brought his hand up hard against the side of her head. The force sent her forward and the chair tipped forward, slamming her on her side. She cried out in pain and then began a fresh string of curses.

The sound brought Marcus back in moments later as the would be rapist was sitting her upright and checking her bound hands.

"What the hell was that noise?" He asked. For lack of an answer immediately, the goon shrugged his shoulders winning himself a look from Marcus.

"Get the fuck outta here." He said and Melanie felt a small measure of relief. She still wasn't out of total danger but at least that asshole was leaving and she was not in immediate danger of rape.

* * *

"We got guys out at all the usual locations MAYANS run. Thry got a couple of warehouse just outside of town that we are checking on." Clay said. He looked over at Jax who was pacing back and forth in the club house. He could only imagine what he was thinking, Clay thought, if it had been Gemma he'd be much the same way.

Clay's cellphone rang at that moment and Jax rushed to stand by him to hear the other end of the conversation.

"Yeah." He muttered recognizing the number. "Hang tight we'll be there in five minutes." Clay got out heading for the door with Jax, Chibs and Bobby right behind.

"Where?" Jaz asked running to his bike.

"The old salt mine." Clay said and Jaz was racing off before the others were even set. Clay shouted after him but knew it was no good.

Jaz had the bike into high gear before he'd gotten halfway down the street and he had no intention of slowing down. His focus was Melanie and he had murder on his mind. He was going to kill the bastards that had grabbed her and he was kill any son of a bitch that had touched her.

One little scratch on her body and he liable to kill someone. He didn't want to think that something could happen to Mel but they'd killed her mother and they were not exactly choir boys.

* * *

"Boss, we got company." Marcus looked at the prospect they'd recently admitted-his name escaped him and he didn't really care either. Marcus waved him off and turned back to Melanie.

"Seems those SAMCRO boys take care of their ladies. Maybe your boyfriend is out there right now. Do you think he's wondering what we are doing to you?"

Melanie felt the bile rise in her throat. Yes she could imagine and she was scared for this assholes when Jaz got them.

"Let's get you a little more comfortable, huh?" Marcus asked. He stood and approached her. With quick fingers he undid the knot and pulled the hood from her head.

"Bonita." Marcus murmured running a finger down her check.

Melanie had to squint at the sudden light and when she felt his finger on her she turned her head in revolution. She peered around her and took in the surroundings. It was dimly lit but there was enough light for her to make out barred windows encompassing the perimeter of the room. Barred meaning she wouldn't be able to use that as a possible escape route. She caught herself. Escape? Could she do that? Could she manage to break free and get out of the building without being hurt? She shook the thought aside, hell, she hadn't even heard them fucking approach her at the picnic area so GI Jane she was not.

* * *

Jax was off his bike before the engine had even shut off and he was on Tig like glue. Tig nodded his head to get Jax's attention past the fence they were standing at and on the barely visible black van that was just peeking out from behind a large trash dumpster. Jax frowned and then took in the building. It was old, a warehouse, with windows that were barred. More than likely Marcus had guys posted up at the all the possible entrances. Jax reached behind him and pulled the gun he had shoved in the back of his pants. He pulled the magazine out and double checked that it was loaded and then slamming the mag back into the handle grip he cocked it. He let his arm drop slightly but he was ready to use the gun on any stupid prick that happened to stick his nose out to far to see what was going on.

"There's Clay." Tig said. Jax heard the rumbling and didn't bother to turn around to acknowledge the others rolling up on them.

"God dammit Jax, you can't run into this thing blazing, you gotta use your fucking head." Clay said walking up to him.

"So what, I just sit back while they do whatever the fuck they want to her, just because there has to be this long thought out plan?" Jax asked. Normally Clay would have brought him down a notch or two but he understood. He knew what Jax was working with and what he was thinking with.

No but we gotta have something figured out. Last thing the Sons need is the cops all over our asses because of the large shoot out with the MAYANS at an abandoned fucking warehouse." Clay said. He pulled out his cell phone and pushing the right button he redialed the last incoming call he received.

"You got us here, so what's the deal? What do you want with the girl?" Clay asked. There was a pause as he listened to the response. "So let her go then." Clay said.

* * *

"I think that we need to see each other face to face, handle this a little bit more…professionally than over the phone. You and your…boy come on in. We won't shoot. But you come in unarmed and alone." Marcus said.

Melanie listened to Marcus talking on the phone. She figured out that he was talking to Clay and when he made the demand she frowned. A little unfair since they would be surrounded by men that she doubted would put their guns away as a sign of good faith. Marcus hung up the phone and smiled at her.

"Not so stubborn." He said. He turned and started to spit out instructions in rapid Spanish and Melanie couldn't understand a single word. She just watched as several men checked their guns and several others came and went. She didn't have a good feeling about this, but well nothing about the whole ordeal had a warm fuzzy feeling.

Several moments later a door groaned open and Jax and Clay came walking in. Melanie felt a huge sense of relief and offered a small smile to both of the men. Her heart broke when she saw Jax look her over, inspecting for any form of injury. The look on his face killing her and she wished she could touch him.

"You okay, baby?" Jax asked. Melanie nodded her head, tears suddenly choking of her ability to speak.

"Of course she's okay. I'm not a fucking animal. Of course things would have ended up a little differently if you had not done what I wanted. Things still could end up differently." Marcus said.

"And just what the fuck is that?" Jax asked taking a step toward the man. Marcus smiled. Clay threw out an arm and pushed it against Jax's chest, bringing him back several steps.

"I want SAMCRO out of business in Charming. The MAYANS are taking over with a little help from some…mutual 'friends' of ours." Marcus said.

"NORDS." Clay stated and Marcus simply nodded his head in agreement.

"We are tired of you assholes thinking that you run the show. It's time for something a little bit different and we seem to have just what some of the people of Charming want. You know what I mean, don't ya Jax? How's your child?" Marcus said. Jax took several running steps at Marcus, cursing him, before he stopped short as Marcus pulled a gun and held it next to Melanie's head. Melanie squeezed her eyes shut and cried out because she really thought that she was going to die. When the pop sound didn't happen she opened her eyes to look directly at Jax's horrified face and the anguish that was clearly written there.

"I think you may be surprised just what Charming wants, Marcus. Now lower the gun. There's no need to bring her into this bullshit." Clay said, trying to calm things down just a bit.

The next few series of events happened so fast that Melanie had thought it all imagined. She heard what sounded like rapid succession fireworks coming from outside of the warehouse and then instantly the men inside were thrown into action. She vaguely thought to get up and run and when she did, she headed right towards Jax, who was motioning for her to come to him. He and Clay had black pistols pulled and where firing them at the men surrounding them. She thought she caught movement from the side, like the door being pushed open and people coming in but everything was a blur. The blur slowed instantly though when she felt the punch in her back.

Her first thought was that Marcus has caught up to her and managed to reach out and hit her, trying to knock her down but when the pain from the punch only got worse, her eyes widened and she realized that it was far worse than a punch in the back. She stopped running and stood still for what seemed like hours, amazed that she'd been shot. Her hand instinctively going to the source of the pain and coming back into view covered with thick dark red blood. She stared down at the blood and for a moment thought she would be sick because the sight of blood had always made her nauseous. She almost laughed aloud when she thought that. She glanced up at Jax and he was standing over her, yelling something and then when he noticed the blood he froze. Melanie noticed things started to get a little dim and black around the edges and she reached out for him.

"I'm so sorry." She was able to get out before the darkness engulfed her and there was nothing more.

_**Okay...wow you all have not idea how hard that was. Okay so good news, unlike the many other times I have promised rapid updates, I can assure that I am in serious writing mode. With only school and my child now and no job I am finding more and more free time!! So happy days!**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: As promised a speedy update. Okay so this chapter has a disclaimer for strong sexual content. It gets pretty hot so be prepared.**_

Apparently it was possible to spend all your time at a hospital and not work there or be a patient. Jax sat next to his son. Abel was growing stronger every day and was now out of the warming bed and in a normal crib in the Pediatric Unit. He was breathing well on his own and Jax was able to hold him, feed him and make stupid baby noises at him without the cumbersome plexi glass separating them.

His son. It was still something that he had to get used to. A little person that he was responsible for, who would turn to him for answers and it was enough to make Jax take a hard look at his life. Was running with SAMCRO what he wanted now that he had these responsibilities?

He looked up with the door to the nursery opened and smiled with it was Gemma. She had a big brown stuffed bear in one hand and a bunch of books in the other. It was trippy thinking of his mom as a grandmother. A damn good one she made too. He watched her as she pulled another chair up closer to Abel's crib. She put the bear on a nearby desk and the books were added the other collection on a shelf that held gloves. She spent a moment running her hand along Abel's sleeping body, smiling warmly when he shifted slightly and made sucking motion with his mouth.

"Tara says that Abel will be released by the end of the week." Jax said when she settled back in her chair. She nodded her head.

"Good. The nursery is all set up. I'll make sure to stop by the market and pick up more formula and diapers." She said. She turned and looked at her son. A lot had happened in the span of just a couple of months. His junkie ex-wife had given birth to a premature and sickly baby boy, he'd rekindled his lost relationship with probably the only woman who she thought was good enough for her son and then he'd gone through the agony of her being kidnapped and shot before him. It was enough to age anyone and to show its effects in their overall being. He'd weathered it well though. He'd been strong and that was exactly what Melanie needed while she recovered.

Gemma turned her attention back to Abel but still thought about the process of healing that Melanie had been going through these past weeks. She remembered the terror she'd felt when Clay had called her and said that Melanie had been shot in the back was at the hospital. All the hours they'd spent waiting in the waiting room while the surgeons worked diligently trying to remove the bullet safely to ensure that she wasn't paralyzed and then the waiting while Melanie lay in a coma for three days while her body healed.

Jax hasn't left the hospital once and Gemma was pretty sure that he'd not slept either. She'd held his hand while he wept silently and she'd hugged him tightly when the nurses had come to announce she was waking up. Now she was finishing up her own recovery and if they were fortunate she may just get released around the same time as Abel.

"You been down to see Mel?" Jax asked, turning to her. Gemma nodded.

"Yeah, but she was at therapy so I thought I would go down in a little bit, after I visited with my little guy." Gemma said.

"Mom I just wanted to say…I wanted to thank you for everything you've done." Jax said running a hand over his face and giving her a half smile. Gemma reached out and ran her hand along his back.

"Honey, that's what I'm here for, to take care of you. I love you honey." Gemma said. Jax smiled and reached across and places a kiss on her cheek. He slowly stood and after putting his hand on Abel's head he turned and headed for the door.

"I'm gonna go and get something to drink and then see if Melanie is back from therapy. See ya in a bit?" He asked with her nod he left.

* * *

When the orderly stopped the wheelchair at her bed, she put the brakes on and gently leaned forward and pushed herself up. It was still a little difficult with the pain but slowly she was making good progress. She'd spent the last half hour doing leg lifts and using a tread mill and right now all she wanted to do was rest and watch more boring ass day time television. She thanked the guy and settled back in her bed. Her room was littered with flower arrangements from pretty much every person in the town of Charming. Cards were taped to the walls, wishing her a speedy recovery and stuffed animals told her to 'Get Well'. She certainly intended to.

"There you are." Jax said walking in with a bright smiling and bending to kiss her tenderly on the lips. When he pulled back he stayed there, hovering over her, scanning her face.

"Hey, I just got back. Been up with Abel?" Melanie asked, tugging his leather and pulling him down for another kiss. He laughed and obliged.

"Tara says this week is his final week." He said pulling back and then sitting down on the side of the bed.

"Oh Jax, that's great!" Melanie said.

"Now we just need to get your ass out of here and things will be good." Jax said grabbing her hand and linking their fingers together. Melanie groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Baby, it's not like I haven't been trying. I can't wait to get out this place. I feel like I might crazy soon." She cried and pouted her lips trying to gain some sympathy.

She'd been through a lot, more than most people can claim. Most of the events were still a blur to her. The moments after passing out in Jax's arms in the warehouse were filled in by others because she'd been out of it. Apparently, there had been some plan concocted and with guns blazing the SAMCRO boys had infiltrated the area around the warehouse. It was not completely clear as to how the shooting had taken place but from what everyone gathered when Melanie had started running to Jax, Marcus had turned his gun and in an attempt to shoot at Jax had shot Melanie instead. After seeing Marcus shoot Melanie, Clay had turned his gun on Marcus and shot him dead. Melanie had not wanted to know more but somehow the boys had 'cleaned' everything up so that they were above suspicion and the dead MAYANS at the warehouse were said to have been shot in a 'drug deal gone bad'. She didn't want to more and to be honest with herself, she wanted to move forward from the whole ordeal and get on with her life.

* * *

"Okay so I have got all kinds of sandwiches and there's about ten different salads. Chips, soda, beer…what else?" Gemma asked, looking around the room. Luann stood there with her hands on hips and shrugged.

"Like I fucking know. There's enough food here to feed a damn army." She said waving at it all.

Gemma frowned at her and went to work organizing a table heaped with trays of food. Everything had to look just right for Melanie's homecoming party. Gemma was a stickler for details and she liked everything to be perfect. When a couple of guys started to shift tables and chairs around to make more room for the pool table, Gemma yelled out to them to leave it alone and to get the hell out. Clay walked in with several men following carrying a few more cases of beer.

"Hell, no one ever got a party like this coming outta prison." Tig said sauntering in and helping himself to a hand full of chips and sandwich. Gemma shooed him away and walked over to Clay.

"None of you were as important." Gemma retorted and earned a chuckle from the group.

"Where are they? They should be here by now, right?" Clay asked. Just then someone called out that the car was pulling in and everyone gathered around the entrance to the clubhouse. Jax has borrowed Gemma's car for Melanie's comfort and Gemma's smile lit up with she watched as her son ran around the car to open the door for Melanie and help her out. She looked great. Her hair had gotten a little longer and she left it hanging down. Her face had a nice healthy glow and she was smiling brightly.

"Welcome home!" Someone shouted and Melanie laughed.

"Oh my God, this is awesome!" She said looking around at the decorations. A large banner welcoming her hung from the entrance and balloons were spilling out of the doorway. As she made her way through the group of people to the front door, she received hugs and kisses and well wishes from everyone. It was almost too much but it was just what she needed.

* * *

Later on after the party had come to an end and she was back in the room she was using at Gemma and Clay's, Melanie finally had a moment of quiet. It was pure bliss to her. Jax was down in Abel's room, putting him to sleep for the night and Gemma and Clay were doing their own thing. She loved everyone and thought it was so sweet how they all jumped to make sure she was taken care of, but sometimes it got to be little overwhelming and she just wanted to be alone. She looked up when Jax came into the room.

"He sleeping?" She asked toeing off her sneakers. Jax nodded and crouched down at her feet to help her. When she sighed he looked up her puzzled.

"What's wrong? You in pain?" He asked, putting his hands on her thighs and looking at her with concern. Melanie rolled her eyes.

"No. I'm fine. More than fine but everyone treats me like I am gonna break at any second." Melanie said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Baby, you were shot. We want to make sure that you are okay." He said smiling.

"Well that's nice but it's getting a little fucking annoying." When Jax's smile fell, she rushed on. "I mean I appreciate everything, I really do, but I am fine. There's no reason to try and do everything for me. I have to start doing things for myself, ya know!" Melanie said.

"Fine, if that's what you want, then okay. I just want to make sure you are comfortable. I want you to have everything you need." Jax said.

"There is something I want." Melanie said. She leaned forward and drew his lips to hers. She ran her tongue across his lips and when he parted them she slid her tongue into the warm cavern of his mouth. They spent several moments like that, gently exploring each other's mouths before Jax pulled back. Melanie bit her lip.

"You don't touch me anymore." She said, lowering her eyes and reaching out and tugging on his jacket. Jax licked his lips and turned his head to look at the way. He knew what she meant. He wanted her, it was driving him crazy how much he wanted her, but he was afraid. What if it was too much for her? What if he hurt her?

"I don't want to hurt you." Jax said, finally, turning to look at her. She grinned and when she realized he was being serious she wiped the grin off her face. She stared at him for a moment and then brought her hands up to rest on the sides of his face.

"You won't." She said and kissed him. Spurred on by her statement and the need that had been ignored for way too long for his liking, he deepened the kiss. Melanie moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to his body. The closeness was what they needed. It had been so long and the simple touches and pecks were far from what they wanted. Jax wrapped his arms around her and lowering them, he lifted her up, standing. Melanie wrapped her legs around his waist and giggled as he began to walk back to the bed.

"God I need you." Jax said and after laying her down across the width of the bed, he climbed over her, holding himself above her and attacked her mouth. It was hot and desperate, their tongues rushing and fighting for dominance over the other. Hands quickly began to peel clothing away from bodies and soon Melanie was in nothing but her panties and Jax amazingly still had his pants on, though the button and zipper had been dealt with. Melanie currently had her hand down his pants stroking him, making him groan. He grabbed her wrist and pulled it out then held it down on the bed above her shoulder. He ran his tongue along the curve of her neck and then to her relief he closed his mouth over her breast. She cried out and arched her body against his.

"Jax…" She murmured and found herself groaning again when he switched his attention to her other breast. Her body was flushed and hot and she couldn't seem to think clearly. She lifted a leg and wrapped it around his waist, pulling him tighter against her aching center, silently begging him.

He complied and ran a hand down her stomach and along the edge of her panties before dipping underneath and rubbing over her. She was hot and wet and Jax groaned when he pushed a finger in her and she gripped him tightly.

"Damn you are so tight and wet…"Jax said and began to move his finger in and out slowly. Melanie couldn't form words and with a little gasp she began to lift her hips to meet his finger. It wasn't enough though, she needed him inside her and she pushed at the jeans that were separating them. Jax chuckled and lifting himself up, he drew out his finger from inside her and then pulled her panties off. He stood up from the bed and then quickly stripped off his jeans.

He stood there looking at her, laid out on the bed, her hands wrapped around her breasts and her legs slowly rubbing against each other waiting for him to get between them. He climbed back on the bed and sliding a hand up each leg, he pulled them apart and around him. On his knees before her, he ran his hands down her stomach and then down and under her ass, pulling her up slightly until her dripping wet core met the head of him. She let out an almost feline purr and with that he thrust deeply into her. It was a delicious pain, the way she gripped him so tightly. He had to hold back the urge not to come just entering her.

"OOHHHH…yes!" Melanie cried out. She arched her body and her hands clung to the bedspread. She opened her eyes and looked up at Jax. His face was tight, his jaw clenched as he held himself there, waiting for them both to adjust. She watched him draw in a breath and then open his eyes. She nodded slightly and that was all that he needed. He withdrew and thrust back in just as forcefully and again and again. Melanie was sobbing with each thrust, her body coiled tightly as she was pushed closer and closer to the climax that Jax was drawing her near.

He had wanted to draw it out as long as he could but the way she was gripping him and how quickly they were getting to the edge, he didn't think he would have the strength to prolong it. That was fine because he could just make it that much better the next time and he had a feeling that they would be catching up on a lot. He tightened his hold on her hips and shifted the angle of his thrusts. She was nearly screaming and it didn't take much longer before she clasped him so tightly and climaxed that he stopped breathing and he fell over the edge. He groaned loudly and felt himself empty inside her.

"I love you." Melanie whispered when he slumped over her and he found just enough energy to tell her the same.


	20. Chapter 20

Hey all – so this is the skinny on this story: I am blocked! I have no idea where I want to go with the rest of this story. Part of me wants to keep going, just see how things play out, while the other part of me is thinking, I need to end it, and if necessary, make a sequel.

It's so frustrating, because I am having no problems with some of my other fiction on other websites, but this one has me completely lost. I feel like I owe you all more, because you have all been such loyal and great readers. I would hate to just leave it and keep you all on the edge there, ya know?

I think what I may do is just throw a couple more chapters on there, tie up the loose ends and then think about writing a sequel.

I am so sorry for the wait and now this post but give me like a day or two and I promise another chapter!

Love to you all,

~inked


	21. La fin peutêtre?

She was now an Old Lady: Property of Jackson Teller. They were not married in the eyes of the state, but in the eyes of the other club members. She was off limits and anyone who were to even think of her in the wrong way would more than likely get a world of shit dumped on them by Jax. She stood in the living room, holding the shirt that Gemma had given her and read the back. It was more or less a joke, but it held a ring of truth to it. The black shirt had the SAMCRO logo on the front and on the back in bold white letters, it read: "Property of Jax".

"I am gonna fucking kill him." Melanie said, balling up the shirt and rolling her eyes.

"We all get them, it's something they do." Gemma said, lighting a cigarette and sitting down on the couch. Melanie tossed the shirt on the matching chair and sat beside Gemma. "How you feeling today, baby girl?" Gemma asked putting her hand on Melanie's leg and looking at her with a deep concern etched across her face. Melanie smiled and placed her hand over the woman who had become more of a mother to her, especially recently.

"Great. Physical Therapy is over, and the doctor said that I can pretty much get back to my life as it was before the shooting." Melanie said.

At the sound of Abel's baby talk, they both looked over at the playpen where he was currently laying on his back, staring up at a moving mobile. He was smiling, and making baby talk, kicking his legs and flailing his arms about as he watched with avid interest as brightly colored fish twirled above his head.

"He's gonna start rolling over soon." Gemma said, getting up and to stand over the playpen and look down at her miracle grandson.

"I can't wait. I have the video camera ready for the exact moment. Jax already said I was to call immediately so he could get here as fast as possible." Melanie said. "I just can't believe all the laundry that something so small produces, not to mention…the gross shit that babies can put out. He's either shitting, drooling or spitting up." Melanie said. Gemma laughed.

"You don't want to have a couple of kids?" Gemma teased her, and Melanie flipped her off.

"No way in Hell." Melanie said.

Jax walked out of the Jewelry store holding a small white bag. He paused at this bike and pulled the black box with gold ribbon around it out and clutched it tightly. This time things were gonna work out right and nothing was gonna get in the way.

With a smile he put the box in his pants pocket and climbed on the bike.

A/N: Right so I am ending this story here. It's been this huge deal with me that I haven't had the damn opportunity to finish this story completely, and I needed to have that final chapter.

Boy oh boy, though! I was looking back at the past chapters and I am so irritated with myself. So many typos and grammar mistakes! I think when I have the chance I will have to do some serious editing.

Anyway, this is the end of me and my writing. I have actually been working on something else that I have wanted to post and have been putting off. You may see it soon, just want to make sure that everything is right.

Thanks for all the love on this story and don't worry….I have a very strong feeling there will be a sequel in the very near future! =D

~Inked4Life


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